Ookla has analysed the rapid emergence of the direct-to-device (D2D) satellite market in the UK. Following Virgin Media O2’s launch of O2 Satellite in February, the UK has jumped from a negligible presence to become the world’s third-largest D2D market by unique-user count, trailing only the US and Australia.

Key takeaways include:

• The UK has quickly become one of the largest detected D2D markets globally, but not one of the deepest.
  • By March 2026, the UK ranked third among countries with live commercial D2D services by detected D2D users, behind the US and Australia, but only eighth by D2D user share and ninth by D2D scans per detected user.
• D2D utilisation within the UK mobile base reached 0.30 per cent in March 2026 (based on the share of all mobile signal scans coming from D2D), and scans per D2D user averaged four, well below Canada’s 29.
• From November 2025 onward, D2D samples lit up across the Scottish Highlands, the Outer Hebrides, the Welsh uplands, the Southwest peninsula and the North York Moors.
• A multi-operator D2D split is already forming in the UK:
  • VodafoneThree received Ofcom’s second D2D licence variation on April 15th on 900 MHz (Band 8), paired with AST SpaceMobile’s broadband-capable BlueBird satellites through Satellite Connect Europe.
  • BT/EE has not yet announced a D2D handset service and is instead prioritising fixed Starlink broadband.

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Categories: Articles, Markets, Research, Satellite

Tags: AST SpaceMobile, d2d, Ookla, Virgin Mobile