Ukraine to launch Starlink mobile internet in 2026, becoming Europe's first
Field tests have begun under an end-2024 deal with Space X's commercial broadband constellation to allow tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's company to launch direct-to-cell services in the war-torn country.
Direct-to-cell devices connect to satellites equipped with modems that function like a cellphone tower, beaming telephone signals from space directly to smartphones.
"The first phase is over-the-top (OTT) messaging ... so messaging via WhatsApp, Signal, and other systems ... it will be in place at the end of this year," Komarov told Reuters in Rome.
"And probably at the beginning of 2026, let's be on the safe side, Q2 2026, we will be able to propose mobile satellite broadband data ... and voice."
SpaceX did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
US carrier T-Mobile will introduce a data service on its satellite-to-cell network, powered by Starlink, at the start of October, the company said in June. Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ammon
2 hours ago
- Ammon
US budget deficit widens but customs receipts surge on tariffs
Ammon News - The US government saw its budget deficit widen from the prior year in the October to June period as spending rose, but customs duties surged to a record after President Donald Trump's wide-ranging tariffs on imports. The budget gap widened by $64 billion to $1.3 trillion for the first nine months of the fiscal year, said the Treasury Department on Friday. This came as increased expenditures outweighed receipts, with greater spending seen in areas like Medicare, the government health care program for seniors, and Medicaid, the federal program for low-income Americans. There were also higher expenses from interest on the public debt, which hit a record $921 billion. But collections of customs duties also ballooned from $61 billion to $113 billion a record surpassing levels seen in past fiscal years. In June alone, the US government collected $27 billion in customs duties, up from $7 billion in 2024. The jump came after Trump imposed a 10 percent tariff on imports from almost all trading partners in April, alongside steeper rates on Chinese goods, steel, aluminum and autos since returning to the presidency.
Ammon
2 hours ago
- Ammon
Elon Musk's X platform investigated in France
Ammon News - French prosecutors have launched a police investigation into alleged data tampering and fraud involving X, Elon Musk's social media platform. The Paris prosecutor's office, in a statement Friday, announced the opening of the investigation, and said that a branch of the French gendarmerie is conducting the inquiry. The investigation is looking into two alleged offenses 'in particular' — organized tampering with the functioning of an automated data processing system, and organized fraudulent extraction of data from an automated data processing system, the statement said. It didn't give details of the alleged wrongdoing. It said that the investigation is targeting both the platform and people, without naming them or saying what role they might have within X. The prosecutor's office said that it was acting on information that two people provided in January to its cybercrimes unit. One of them is a member of parliament, and the other is a senior official in a French government institution. It didn't identify them or the institution. It said the two people alleged the suspected use of X's algorithm for the 'purposes of foreign interference.' It didn't detail the alleged interference or how the algorithm was allegedly used. The prosecutor's office said that it decided this week to open the police investigation, after conducting its own 'verifications' and having received additional information from French researchers and 'various public institutions.' AP
Ammon
2 days ago
- Ammon
Minister: Jordan offers investors access to economies with combined GDP of $50 trillion
Ammon News - Minister of Investment Mothanna Gharaibeh said Jordan offers investors access to economies with a combined GDP of $50 trillion through various free trade and bilateral agreements spanning multiple continents. According to a statement from the Ministry on Thursday, Gharaibeh made the remarks while attending the economic forum held Wednesday in Singapore under the title "Jordan: Your Gateway to Human Talent, Competitive Costs, Resilience, and Global Markets." The forum was organized in partnership with the Arab Bank and the Jordanian Embassy in Singapore, with participation from global companies, sovereign wealth funds, and leading economic institutions across diverse sectors. Gharaibeh emphasized Jordan's strategic location and robust infrastructure, which provide easy access to neighboring markets. He noted the Kingdom's critical role in supporting global food security, especially through its fertilizer industry, alongside growing sectors such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, apparel, and electronics. He highlighted that Jordan's ICT companies contribute to a 19 percent annual increase in digital jobs, citing Singaporean firms that have chosen Jordan as a hub for regional and global expansion. Gharaibeh pointed out that a feasibility study by IBM's semiconductor division showed Jordan offers the highest profitability among evaluated locations, with a low-risk operating environment compared to key competitors. He reaffirmed the government's steady progress in implementing the Economic Modernization Vision to drive accelerated growth, position Jordan as a regional industrial hub, increase national exports, optimize the use of natural resources, stimulate domestic and foreign investment, and strengthen sustainable practices. Jordan's Ambassador to Singapore, Samer Naber, underlined the essential role diplomatic missions play in promoting investment opportunities, leveraging their networks with local and foreign investors, sovereign and private funds, and venture capital firms. He noted that the forum's collaboration with the Arab Bank exemplifies the public-private partnership model that Jordan is pursuing. During a forum session, Naber discussed Jordan's green energy strategy, alternative energy projects, and the national climate change policy for 2022–2050, along with commitments to reduce carbon emissions and the green bonds framework being finalized under the Central Bank's supervision. He stressed the importance of tapping into Singapore's international partnerships in green energy and attracting Singaporean investments in this sector in the Middle East and Jordan. Arab Bank's CEO, Randa Sadik, affirmed the bank's commitment to supporting national efforts to promote Jordan as an attractive investment destination and strengthen public-private collaboration at home and abroad. She emphasized the strategic role of the banking sector in driving economic growth through comprehensive financing solutions and leading banking services to meet investors' needs, attract capital, and foster sustainable development. The forum aimed to promote Jordan's investment environment and highlight the Kingdom's key advantages, including a skilled workforce, competitive operating costs, strategic location, and flexible market access to regional and international destinations. Panel discussions featured success stories from investments in Jordan, with contributions from Jordan Phosphate Mines Company investor Manish Gupta, who noted that a quarter of India's cultivated food is grown using Jordanian fertilizers. Arab Potash Company Chairman Shehadah Abu Hdaib and CEO Maen Nsour, Aqaba Development Corporation CEO Hussein Safadi (virtually), and Marie Miller, Director of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Bigo Technology, also spoke, sharing how their companies have created thousands of jobs in Jordan's ICT sector. During his visit to Singapore, Gharaibeh will meet with Singapore's Second Minister of Trade and Industry, Tan See Leng, to discuss ways to boost bilateral economic cooperation and promote Jordan as a gateway for Singaporean companies expanding regionally and globally. He will also hold meetings with senior executives from sovereign wealth funds and major corporations, including GIC, Temasek Holdings, the Economic Development Board (EDB), and global firms such as ST Engineering, Accuron Technologies, OUE Limited, and Meinhardt Group. Petra
