Kazakh mobile operator Beeline Kazakhstan opened up direct smartphone-to-satellite connectivity via Starlink to its subscribers on September 28. No dish or dedicated satellite phone is needed. The service is free for the first two months, but for now it only works on Android phones.
Over the satellite link, Beeline customers can send texts and use basic internet services. It kicks in wherever there’s no terrestrial mobile coverage but the phone can still reach a satellite — in the mountains, in remote areas, and on highways between cities. The service runs on Direct to Cell technology. Beeline is rolling it out with backing from Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.
The operator signed a memorandum with that ministry in November 2025 to cooperate on deploying the technology, and the two ran their first field tests a month later. That work was made possible by agreements Kazakhstan and the US reached in 2025. Building on this, VEON, the international telecom group that owns Beeline Kazakhstan, also signed a global framework agreement with Starlink. Earlier this month, SpaceX won US approval to offer Starlink Mobile outside the United States.
“Today we’re seeing this agreement become reality. Kazakhstan is the first country in Central Asia where Direct to Cell has passed practical testing, and now the technology is becoming a service for everyday users,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. During a public demo for reporters, Madiyev was on the other end of the first satellite call, which was picked up by Yekaterina Smyshlyaeva, a member of Kazakhstan’s parliament, the Kurultai.
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Those involved in the project say the service will matter most where ground infrastructure is missing or damaged, including after natural disasters. Rescue teams, road and utility crews, hikers, mountaineers, and people working at remote sites all stand to benefit. A driver whose car breaks down on an empty stretch of road, for example, could text family or call emergency services. “For someone in trouble on a remote road or lost in the mountains, this technology can be the decisive chance to reach the outside world and get help,” VEON Group CEO Kaan Terzioğlu said.
To get connected, subscribers need to update Beeline’s Janymda app to the latest version, activate the Starlink service in it, and make sure data roaming is turned on. The satellite network can also be selected manually. It shows up as Beeline Starlink, though in some cases it may appear as 401 04. The operator walks through each step on its website. Support for devices running other operating systems is expected later.
