The U.S. now accounts for nearly half of the world’s satellite-to-phone connections, showing just how quickly interest in direct-to-device service is growing. According to the figures, American users made up 45.9% of these connections as of March 2026, well ahead of Australia at 18.1%, Chile at 10%, Canada at 9.8%, and the UK at 4.5%.
As reported by PhoneArena, that big U.S. lead does not mean satellite messaging has gone mainstream. The same data shows that in the U.S., unique monthly direct-to-device users represented just 0.46% of all cellular users in March 2026. In other words, the technology is attracting more attention, but it is still being used by a very small share of phone owners.
One reason is simple: most people do not need it very often. The source notes that traditional ground-based networks already cover 96% of the global population, which leaves only a small number of situations where a satellite connection becomes important. For many users, this feature is more of a backup for remote areas and emergencies than something they would rely on every day.
There are also clear limits to what the service can do right now. Satellite-to-phone connections are mainly meant for basic communication when regular cell service is unavailable, such as sending and receiving text messages and sometimes reaching emergency services.
The report says users should not expect to browse the web, stream content, or handle regular voice calls over these links. Tests mentioned in the source also found that the service can work while moving, but with restrictions: in rural New York, about 60% of text attempts succeeded during driving tests, and the average send-and-receive time was around 1 minute and 17 seconds.
Even with those limits, the category is still moving forward. Direct-to-device connections rose by about 24.5% worldwide between July 2025 and March 2026, helped by Starlink’s expansion into countries including Chile, Ukraine, Peru, and the UK. At the same time, the report says growth was partly offset by fewer connections in the U.S. and Canada, possibly because of new charges and seasonal shifts in usage.
That makes the current moment feel less like a breakthrough for everyday phone use and more like an early sign of where mobile coverage could be headed next.
Source: PhoneArena
