A major change could be coming to mobile connectivity in Macedonia, as SpaceX and Hungarian technology group 4iG have signed an agreement that includes the future introduction of Starlink Mobile in the country. The service is designed to connect compatible mobile phones directly to Starlink satellites, without requiring users to install a satellite dish, antenna or other dedicated equipment. According to 4iG, the next generation Starlink Mobile V2 is planned for Macedonia, alongside Hungary, Albania and Montenegro. The technology is expected to use SpaceX’s global 2 GHz spectrum rights and support 5G Non Terrestrial Network capabilities, potentially bringing much faster satellite connectivity directly to smartphones. However, there is an important detail: there is currently no announced launch date, price or specific package for the Macedonian market. This means the service is planned, but consumers will have to wait for more information before they can actually sign up and use it.
Starlink Mobile would work very differently from the regular Starlink service that is already available in Macedonia. Traditional Starlink provides internet through a satellite dish that communicates with satellites in low Earth orbit, meaning customers need dedicated equipment at their home, business or other location. The mobile version is designed to remove that requirement. A compatible smartphone can communicate directly with satellites when a conventional mobile network is unavailable. The first generation is focused on keeping people connected through services such as messaging and limited data communications, while the planned V2 technology is intended to go significantly further by providing high speed broadband connectivity directly to mobile phones. This could be particularly useful in areas where traditional mobile coverage is difficult to provide, including remote villages, mountains, rural areas and other locations where building conventional mobile infrastructure is challenging.
The agreement is particularly interesting for Macedonia because 4iG is preparing to enter the country’s mobile telecommunications market through One Macedonia. The company has announced plans for a major investment in a new mobile network, with Ericsson involved in the construction of more than 500 5G base stations. The terrestrial network is expected to begin commercial 5G coverage by March 2027 and expand gradually afterward. Starlink Mobile is not intended to replace that network. Instead, satellite connectivity could serve as an additional layer of coverage in places where One’s traditional infrastructure does not reach or where a temporary outage occurs. In practical terms, this could mean that someone hiking in a remote mountain area, traveling through an isolated part of the country or experiencing a mobile network outage could potentially remain connected through a satellite instead of losing service completely.
For Macedonian consumers, the development could eventually create a completely different type of mobile coverage. Existing operators such as Macedonian Telekom and A1 already provide 5G services in areas covered by their terrestrial networks, so Starlink Mobile would not necessarily offer an advantage in cities where strong conventional coverage is already available. Its biggest value could instead come from filling the gaps between existing networks and reaching locations where installing new towers is expensive or difficult. The technology could also become particularly important during emergencies, natural disasters or temporary infrastructure failures, when conventional communication networks may be disrupted. For now, however, users should not expect to activate Starlink Mobile immediately. The agreement confirms Macedonia as one of the planned markets for Starlink Mobile V2, but the launch date, pricing and exact requirements for customers have yet to be announced
