BT Group has announced a strategic partnership with Starlink to provide high-speed, low-latency satellite broadband to households across the UK’s most remote areas. The collaboration aims to complement BT and EE’s existing fibre and mobile networks, ensuring reliable internet access for customers beyond the reach of conventional infrastructure.
Expanding access to rural and remote regions
This agreement marks a first in the UK and one of the earliest globally, combining BT Group’s telecommunications expertise with Starlink’s satellite technology. It will offer ultrafast connectivity to rural and geographically challenging locations where building fixed-line infrastructure is impractical or uneconomical. Starlink’s system, which delivers download speeds of up to 280 Mbps, is expected to become available to customers in the latter half of 2026.
The partnership underscores BT Group’s commitment to reducing the digital divide and enabling equal access to high-speed internet across the country. Reliable connectivity has become essential for modern living, supporting remote work, online learning, entertainment, and digital services.
Strengthening BT Group’s network capabilities
The integration of Starlink’s satellite system will complement BT Group’s nationwide fibre rollout. Its Openreach division recently surpassed the milestone of connecting 20 million premises through its full fibre upgrade programme. The initiative remains on track to reach 25 million premises by the end of next year, with plans to expand to 30 million by 2030.
Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive of BT Group, said, “As we create a better BT for all of us, no one is doing more to connect the UK than we are. This landmark agreement with Starlink is a giant leap for rural connectivity – allowing us to get fast and reliable in-home connectivity to our customers in some of the UK’s most rural and isolated areas and to bridge the digital divide better than ever.”
Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Business Operations at SpaceX, added, “On behalf of Starlink, we’re excited to team up with BT Group and bring high-speed internet to more people across the UK. Their local presence will help us reach those communities which have historically faced challenges with reliable connectivity. Starlink is committed to its mission to connect the unconnected while maintaining focus on delivering overall quality of service.”
Advancing BT Group’s space connectivity strategy
The collaboration also aligns with BT Group’s wider space connectivity strategy and its longstanding involvement in satellite communications. The company’s Madley Communications Centre, which has supported broadcast, backhaul, and network resiliency for nearly five decades, plays a key role in its operations. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, such as those operated by Starlink, are already an important part of EE’s mobile backhaul network, especially in rural locations.
