Starlink Expands Satellite Calls Directly From Mobile Phones

SpaceX has received approval from the US to launch 7,500 additional Starlink Gen 2 satellites, expanding the ability to make satellite calls directly from mobile phones.

Of the approximately 9,400 satellites belonging to Starlink, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved the increase of second-generation satellites, which will offer Internet speeds up to 1 Gbps and extend satellite calls to more countries.

To date, the calling capability is only available in a few countries, including the US, Ukraine and New Zealand. SpaceX has been authorized for 15,000 satellites and is obligated to launch half of the new Gen 2 satellites by December 1, 2028 and the remainder by December 2031.

Starlink serves approximately 9 million users, including the government of Ukraine. The increase in satellites increases the risk of collisions, with SpaceX performing 145,000 avoidance maneuvers in the first half of 2025.

Starlink's Vice President of Engineering, Mike Nichols, said the satellites will gradually descend to 480 kilometers to reduce the likelihood of collision. In early December, he reported that a Chinese vessel approached a Starlink satellite at a dangerous distance.