BT and Starlink have announced what they describe as a “landmark agreement” which will bring Starlink’s satellite connectivity to BT and EE consumer broadband customers, complementing BT Group’s fibre and mobile networks to ensure no community is left behind in the digital age.

The collaboration – a first in the UK and one of the first globally – will see BT Group offer ultrafast, low-latency satellite connectivity to customers in rural and remote areas where traditional fixed-line infrastructure is economically unviable or geographically challenging to build.

With Starlink capable of delivering download speeds of up to 280 Mbps, the agreement marks a significant milestone in making high-speed internet connectivity widely accessible within the hardest to reach parts of the UK – with the service expected to be available to customers in the latter half of 2026.

According to BT, fast and reliable home Internet is increasingly critical to everyday life, supporting everything from online gaming and streaming TV shows, to enabling efficient home working and ensuring access to education and other vital services.

The integration of Starlink’s satellite technology into its networks offering complements BT Group’s ongoing fibre build, with its Openreach division recently surpassing the 20 million premises milestone as part of its nationwide full fibre upgrade programme – on track to reach 25 million premises by the end of next year and with an ambition to reach 30 million by 2030.

Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive, BT Group, commented: “As we create a better BT for all of us, no one is doing more to connect the UK than we are. This landmark agreement with Starlink is a giant leap for rural connectivity – allowing us to get fast and reliable in-home connectivity to our customers in some of the UK’s most rural and isolated areas and to bridge the digital divide better than ever.”

Chad Gibbs, VP of Business Operations, SpaceX, added: “On behalf of Starlink, we’re excited to team up with BT Group and bring high-speed Internet to more people across the UK. Their local presence will help us reach those communities which have historically faced challenges with reliable connectivity. Starlink is committed to its mission to connect the unconnected while maintaining focus on delivering overall quality of service.”

Working alongside Starlink aligns with BT Group’s wider space connectivity strategy, as well as its long-standing history in satellite communications. Its Madley Communications Centre is approaching its 50th year of operation, supporting broadcast, backhaul and resiliency needs, while low Earth orbit satellite, including that provided by Starlink’s constellation, is an important and growing component of EE’s mobile backhaul network – particularly in rural locations.

Meanwhile, BT has reported its H1 results. Reported and adjusted revenue stood at £9.8 billion, down 3 per cent, attributed to declines in legacy voice, lower mobile handset trading volumes and declines in International, offset by an improving FTTP mix in Openreach.

BT saw record FTTP build of over 2.2 million in the 6 month period; FTTP footprint reached 20.3 million premises, of which 5.5 million in rural locations; on track to build up to 5 million this fiscal year and reach our target of 25 million by December 2026.

There was also record demand for Openreach FTTP with 1.1 million net adds in H1; total premises connected grew to over 7.6 million, again increasing take-up rate, now 38 per cent; Openreach broadband ARPU grew 4 per cent year-on-year in H1 to £16.70, driven by CPI-linked price increases, higher FTTP take-up and speed mix

Openreach broadband lines fell 242k in Q2, driven by losses to competitors and a weaker broadband market; expectation for FY26 remains unchanged at twice the H2 FY25 run rate

Commenting on the results, Kirkby said: “BT is delivering on its strategy in competitive markets. We’re building the UK’s digital backbone, connecting the country like no one else and accelerating our transformation. Openreach full fibre broadband now reaches more than 20 million homes and businesses and our award-winning EE network is live with 5G+ coverage for 66 per cent of the population. Since the start of the year, we’ve driven customer growth across Consumer broadband, mobile and TV and we’re stabilising our UK-focused Business division. Outside the UK, we’ve completed strategic exits and we’re reshaping our International unit. BT’s transformation is delivering ahead of plan, as our UK focus and radical simplification and modernisation are helping to offset declines from our International and legacy businesses and higher labour-related costs since the start of this tax year. We remain on track to deliver our financial outlook for this year, our cash flow inflection to c.£2 billion in FY27 and c.£3 billion by the end of the decade, and we’re announcing an increased interim dividend to 2.45 pence per share.”

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite, Telco

Tags: Allison Kirkby, bt, starlink