- Opensignal’s new map shows where smartphones are connecting directly to satellites worldwide
- More than 90% of the detected D2D connections use Starlink
- D2D usage is growing, but it remains a tiny, complementary slice of wireless traffic
At a time when interest in direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service is at an all-time high, Opensignal launched its D2D Satellite Map, an interactive map showing where smartphones are connecting to satellites across the globe.
Judging by the map, D2D still has a long way to go before it’s used on a worldwide basis. The map, which displays D2D connections detected since January 2026, shows it concentrated in certain areas, like the United States, where a lot of the D2D activity is happening thanks to T-Mobile.
The map also displays D2D usage in Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Peru and New Zealand, where D2D services have been available longer than other geographies, as well as scattered usage outside those areas.
Only connections from Android devices are included in the data; usage on Apple devices isn’t available due to stricter privacy rules.
D2D comes into focus
To be clear, the connections on the map don’t necessarily mean every one of them resulted in a text message or data being sent; it’s simply showing where a mobile phone made a connection to a satellite, said Lian Carl, VP of Product Management at Opensignal.
More than 90% of the time, the connections are via Starlink, and that’s true for both the U.S. and in the other geographies. “We are seeing a little bit of Skylo and a couple others but really the grand majority is Starlink connections,” she told Fierce.
The D2D connections are easily conflated with Starlink broadband service, but there are important distinctions, Carl said. For example, a lot of operators limit what folks can do on with their phones using D2D.
Even with Globalstar-powered services on an Apple iPhone – the original D2D SOS service – consumers can’t do much else beyond emergency calls and texts.
However, “you can do a little bit more on a T-Mobile subscription with T-Satellite because they have allowed certain applications, like WhatsApp. It’s not just a text message,” she said.
Carl described one of her own experiences using T-Mobile’s satellite service when visiting Hart’s Pass in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in north-central Washington.
Granted, it was a bluebird day and she was on top of a hill with no trees blocking the signal. Still, she was able to send a photo from her iPhone without having to do much by way of physical gymnastics to get a signal.
Opensignal findings in line
None of this data about D2D usage is surprising. T-Mobile CEO Srini Gopalan said during his company’s Q2 earnings call that even during the busiest summer months, D2D represented just 0.0003% of T-Mobile’s overall network usage.
His point: D2D remains a complementary service to the broader wireless category.
Earlier this year, Ookla released data showing D2D connections were on the rise globally but still a small part of the overall traffic. During March 2026, it counted a total of 0.46% of Speedtest users in the U.S. using a D2D satellite connection.
Still early days for D2D
Of course, it’s still early days for D2D. Other players like Amazon Leo and AST SpaceMobile are still getting their satellites launched into space and not yet offering commercial services.
“I think what we’re seeing here is that there is more opportunity,” Carl said. “It’s a rapidly growing space and that’s why we’re going to be updating this map monthly.”
Beyond D2D, SpaceX is getting increasingly aggressive about competing with the Big 3 mobile operators in the U.S. Last week, SpaceX sent the financial markets in a tizzy when it announced the acquisition of 14 megahertz of 800 MHz low-band spectrum from Grain Management.
It’s too early to assess the impact of that. Carl said they’ll be watching as it all unfolds. “We’ll certainly be tracking it as best we can,” she said.
Read more about D2D satellite services on Fierce Network
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