4iG Group and SpaceX have signed two agreements that will bring Starlink Mobile Connectivity to Hungary and the Western Balkans, covering both commercial satellite to mobile service and protected satellite communications under the Sovereign Solutions framework. The Budapest-based group described these as the first such agreements in Europe.
4iG and SpaceX Sign Starlink Mobile Agreements
The agreements were signed in Bastrop, Texas, by Gellért Jászai, Chairman and CEO of 4iG, and Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX. According to 4iG, the partnership aligns with the group’s telecommunications, space and defence technology activities.
Under the first agreement, 4iG Group will initially launch Starlink Mobile’s commercial service using first-generation technology. This will later be followed by Starlink Mobile V2, a next-generation service that will deliver 5G-based non-terrestrial network capabilities built on SpaceX’s global rights to use 2 GHz spectrum. The later Starlink Mobile V2 technology will enable high-speed broadband data connectivity directly on mobile phones using 5G NTN technology.
Gellért Jászai said the agreements are aimed at making network connectivity available to everyone, everywhere. Gwynne Shotwell noted that through the introduction of Starlink Mobile and the next-generation V2 technology, 4iG will be able to provide direct satellite to mobile connectivity in Hungary and the Western Balkans.
Starlink Mobile to Complement Terrestrial Networks
Starlink Mobile Connectivity is designed to complement the terrestrial mobile networks operated by 4iG’s telecommunications companies in Hungary and the Western Balkans. The service will extend mobile network coverage into areas where terrestrial coverage is limited or unavailable.
Beyond filling coverage gaps, Starlink Mobile may also help maintain network connectivity during emergencies or temporary outages of mobile network infrastructure. This satellite to mobile capability adds a layer of resilience to 4iG’s existing telecom infrastructure across the region.
The progression from first-generation Starlink Mobile to the later V2 service represents an expansion in what the Starlink Mobile Connectivity arrangement will offer. While the initial service introduces satellite to mobile functionality, the V2 upgrade will bring 5G NTN broadband speeds directly to handsets, according to 4iG.
Sovereign Satellite Communications Added to Partnership
The second agreement covers Sovereign Solutions, under which communications services based on protected satellite networks designed for national security purposes will become available. The arrangement is intended to support the development of sovereign and protected satellite communications capabilities at the state level.
Together, the two agreements establish a cooperation model in Europe that combines commercial Starlink Mobile Connectivity with sovereign satellite communications capabilities, 4iG said. The combination of commercial satellite to mobile service and protected satellite communications under a single partnership framework reflects the breadth of the 4iG SpaceX arrangement.