en.Wedoany.com Reported - Globe Telecom officially launched Starlink's direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service nationwide on Monday, following regulatory approval from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). The service, based on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, currently supports only SMS, chat, and navigation applications, requiring users to have a 4G phone for access.
Globe Telecom customers need to subscribe to the Globe Starlink service, with Globe Platinum and Plan 1499 postpaid users receiving it for free, while prepaid Globe and TM customers pay a starting price of 99 Philippine pesos (approximately $1.60). The Starlink direct-to-device service extends Globe Telecom's mobile coverage to the remaining 3% of the Philippine population not yet covered by its network.
Globe Telecom President and CEO Carl Cruz stated that this new satellite-to-mobile technology enhances digital inclusion and accessibility. With NTC approval, the company can expand coverage beyond traditional cell towers, ensuring connectivity in remote or disaster-affected areas. Earlier this month, following a deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Mindanao, Globe Telecom urgently deployed the service in South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani, offering it for free to Globe and TM users in affected areas for up to 30 days.
This commercial launch comes six months after Globe Telecom signed a memorandum of understanding with Starlink in January to resell its direct-to-device satellite service. Competitor PLDT signed an agreement in August 2025 to resell Starlink's LEO satellite broadband services in the Philippines, while Converge ICT Solutions subsidiary Converge Singapore signed a similar agreement in March 2025. However, neither company has signed an agreement to offer Starlink's direct-to-device service. PLDT's Smart Communications signed a cooperation agreement with direct-to-device satellite company Lynk Global in October 2025, and Globe Telecom has been trialing Lynk's services since October 2024. Smart and Globe are also collaborating with AST Spacemobile under memorandums of understanding signed in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
