Satellite Roaming Goes International in 2026: KDDI's Starlink Direct Reaches the Philippines and New Zealand
Satellite-to-phone service is starting to cross borders. On August 27, 2026, Japan's KDDI and Okinawa Cellular announced that "au Starlink Direct," their direct-to-device service powered by Starlink Mobile, would add the Philippines and New Zealand from August 31 (Japan time). They join the United States and Canada, which were already covered. In the Philippines, Globe Telecom is the local partner, and a weekly telecom roundup published on October 2 reported Globe expanding its own satellite roaming through KDDI and Starlink.
What KDDI announced
According to KDDI's release, customers already using au Starlink Direct in Japan can access satellite connectivity in out-of-coverage areas of the supported countries without any extra application procedure, free for the time being. As in Japan, the service supports text messaging, location sharing and other supported apps, and coverage works best with a clear view of the sky. It connects phones directly to Starlink Mobile's constellation of about 650 satellites.
The device list is narrow. In the Philippines, supported models are the Google Pixel 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL and 11 Pro Fold, plus the AQUOS sense10 and sense9. In New Zealand the list is the same Pixel 11 family and the AQUOS sense10. KDDI says it plans to expand compatible devices over time.
The release also points at the use case. For the Philippines it mentions island hopping and diving around El Nido on Palawan; for New Zealand, hikers and sightseers in national parks and remote wilderness. KDDI adds that many customers have already used satellite connectivity while traveling in the US and Canada, particularly over holiday periods.
Why it matters to travelers
This is one of the first concrete examples of satellite service following a customer abroad through an operator agreement. Until now, most direct-to-cell offers worked only inside the home country, as we noted when Docomo's satellite link went live in Japan and could not be reached from a travel eSIM.
Three limits are worth understanding before you get excited.
It is tied to your home carrier. The service roams because KDDI has agreements with partner operators in each country. A traveler holding a prepaid travel eSIM from any provider is not a KDDI customer, so this does not apply to them.
It is not broadband. Text, location sharing and selected apps in places without towers is a safety layer. It does not replace data for maps, video calls or streaming in cities and towns.
The "free for the time being" clause can change. KDDI describes the access as free for now. Do not plan a trip around a promotional price.
What to do if you travel to these countries
For El Nido, Queenstown or any city in between, the ordinary cellular network is still where your data will come from. A travel eSIM installed before you fly gives you a local connection on arrival, and you can compare plans per GB across providers, HOLASIM included, before you buy. If you hike or dive in remote areas, treat satellite as an emergency backup and tell someone your route.
If you are a KDDI customer with a supported phone, update your software, make sure roaming is enabled, and test the feature before you leave rather than on the trail.
Bottom line
Satellite roaming has gone from a domestic feature to a cross-border one, but only for a few phones, a few countries and one operator's customers. Expect more carrier pairings to follow. Until then, a travel eSIM for data and satellite messaging as a backup is the realistic combination.