Starlink Mobile Launches in Ecuador with CNT

Starlink Mobile has launched in Ecuador through a partnership with state-owned operator CNT, extending direct-to-cell satellite connectivity to compatible smartphones in areas beyond terrestrial mobile coverage.

The service, marketed by CNT as SatPower, will allow customers to use selected apps and messaging services when they are outside conventional cellular coverage. It works directly with compatible LTE phones and does not require a Starlink dish, external antenna or separate satellite device.

At launch, supported services include SMS, WhatsApp, Google Maps, X, AccuWeather and the ECU 911 app. The focus is on practical light-data use cases such as messaging, location sharing, maps, weather updates and emergency information rather than unrestricted mobile broadband.

CNT said SatPower initially covers around 82.4% of Ecuador’s national territory, including rural areas, mountainous regions, forests and maritime areas extending up to approximately 12 nautical miles from the coastline. Users still require a clear view of the sky, and performance may be limited indoors, in tunnels, dense urban areas or beneath heavy tree cover.

Ecuador’s geography makes it a strong use case for satellite-to-mobile connectivity. The country combines Pacific coastline, Andean highlands, Amazon rainforest and the Galápagos Islands, all of which create coverage challenges for terrestrial mobile networks.

The launch builds on an existing relationship between CNT and Starlink, including earlier Starlink-based connectivity work in the Galápagos. SatPower extends that partnership from fixed satellite broadband into direct-to-device mobile services.

Ecuador is also part of Starlink Mobile’s wider Latin American expansion. Costa Rican operator Liberty has also launched a D2D service with Starlink Mobile this year, and other markets are adopting similar carrier-led models in which satellite connectivity complements existing terrestrial networks rather than replacing them.