Philippines Is First In Southeast Asia To Launch Satellite-To-Phone Technology

Whether you are catching a boat to a remote island or hiking through a province where the bars on your phone usually disappear, we have all dealt with the "No Service" struggle. Usually, it means you are cut off until you find a town with a tower. However, a new partnership between DICT, Globe, and Starlink is changing that. Philippines has officially become the first country in Southeast Asia to launch technology that connects your regular mobile phone directly to satellites.

How satellite-to-phone technology works for Globe and Starlink users

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Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has introduced a system that connects your existing LTE mobile phone to a network of 650 low-earth orbit satellites. Essentially, these satellites act as "cell towers in space."

The most practical part of this update is that you do not need to buy any new equipment. You can keep using your current device. This system is designed to provide:

• Voice calls and video messaging in remote areas.

• SMS and data services without needing a ground tower.

• Instant connectivity in places where signal has never existed before.

• Disaster preparedness and emergency communication in the Philippines

With the Philippines facing an average of twenty tropical cyclones every year, our communication lines are often the first thing to fail. When a typhoon hits, wind and floods frequently destroy physical cell towers, leaving communities isolated. Because this signal comes from space, it is not affected by damage to ground infrastructure.

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DICT Secretary Henry Aguda noted that this technology is critical for disaster response. In a country where being able to call for help can be a matter of life and death, having a signal that stays active during a storm provides a massive safety net for Filipino families.

2026 rollout for remote islands and mountainous regions

^{Image credit: Starlink Official Website}

This project is supported by a USD 1.0 billion investment from Globe, aiming to reach its 63.1 million subscribers. While this technology is already being used in the UK, Japan, and Australia, the Philippines is now the primary testbed for this service in Southeast Asia.

The first "proof-of-concept" deployments and testing are scheduled for the first half of 2026. The rollout will specifically target mountainous areas and remote islands that have always been outside the reach of traditional cell towers. This move aims to ensure that no Filipino is left behind, whether they are in the heart of the city or on a distant shore.

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