KDDI signs Asia-first Starlink Mobile V2 deal with SpaceX for Japan

Japan’s KDDI has signed an Asia-first agreement with SpaceX to introduce the next-generation Starlink Mobile V2 direct-to-device service through its au mobile brand, The Fast Mode reported. The agreement was signed on 10 August and announced by KDDI on 15 September; Starlink publicly confirmed the partnership on 17 September, posting that it will “deliver its next-gen service with @au_official to enable 5G speeds from space” with native calls, streaming and high-speed apps, according to TeslaNorth.

The V2 service represents a major step beyond messaging-only satellite links. KDDI says the V2 satellites carry larger antennas delivering roughly 20 times the throughput per satellite of the first generation, and with more communications beams, about 100 times the data density — enabling native voice calls including VoLTE, streaming, web browsing and high-speed apps on compatible smartphones with no extra equipment, Digital Watch Observatory reported.

“We are grateful to KDDI for trusting us to deliver resilient connectivity to their customers with our next-gen V2 technology,” said Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX president and COO, quoted in the KDDI announcement. KDDI president and CEO Hiromichi Matsuda said the agreement marks “a new chapter as we push the boundaries of connectivity”.

KDDI aims to begin providing Starlink Mobile V2 by the end of 2027 in areas outside mobile coverage, such as mountainous regions and remote islands, Telecompaper reported. The deal upgrades the existing au Starlink Direct service, launched in April 2025, which offers messaging and supported app data. Although Japan’s mobile networks cover more than 99.9% of the population, KDDI notes that mountainous terrain and remote islands make complete terrestrial coverage difficult.