Ofcom has made the Wireless Telegraphy (Direct to Device Satellite Communications) (Exemption) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/139), signed on 16 February 2026 and in force from 25 February 2026. The instrument exempts certain direct-to-device (D2D) uses from licensing under section 8(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, provided specific technical conditions are met. The Regulations apply across the UK but do not extend to the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Direct-to-device services are defined as wireless electronic communications provided by an undertaking operating a mobile satellite system, enabling terrestrial users to send and receive signals directly to and from a space station. In practical terms, this allows compatible smartphones and similar terminals to connect to satellites without a separate satellite handset or terminal.
Operation is restricted to two small blocks within the 1,800 MHz mobile band: 1710.1–1715.9 MHz and 1805.1–1810.9 MHz. Apparatus may use these frequencies only when transmitting to, and receiving from, a space station. Ofcom’s broader D2D policy aims to ensure coexistence with co-channel and adjacent users in the UK, which underpins the cautious initial allocation. (ofcom.org.uk)
Permitted radio technologies are those published by ETSI at the versions referenced in the Regulations: GSM EN 301 511 V12.5.1; UMTS EN 301 908‑1 V15.2.1 and EN 301 908‑2 V13.1.1; LTE EN 301 908‑1 V15.2.1 and EN 301 908‑13 V13.2.1; and 5G NR EN 301 908‑1 V15.2.1 and EN 301 908‑25 V15.1.1. Tying the exemption to specific ETSI versions gives manufacturers a clear compliance target for type approval.
Transmit power is capped as mean total radiated power (TRP). When using GSM, the limit is 30 dBm TRP (1 W). When using UMTS, LTE or 5G NR, the limit is 25 dBm TRP (about 316 mW). TRP refers to the integral of power transmitted over all directions and provides a predictable ceiling for emissions from compact antennas.
Two general protections apply. Apparatus must not cause, or contribute to, undue interference to any wireless telegraphy, and it must not be used airborne. In addition, the exemption does not apply to commercial multi-user gateway devices-commonly known as SIM boxes-which divert multiple users’ calls or SMS through one or more SIMs; those remain licensable.
The Regulations remove the need for individual end-user licences but do not alone authorise service provision. Under Ofcom’s framework, mobile network operators must request a variation to their existing mobile licences to enable D2D in their assigned spectrum, with technical conditions to manage coexistence and cross-border coordination. The end-user exemption and licence variations are designed to operate together. (ofcom.org.uk)
Ofcom’s December 2025 materials set out a template for enabling D2D in mobile bands and included a draft exemption instrument; the final Regulations focus the initial handset exemption on two 1,800 MHz segments while maintaining power limits consistent with that draft approach. Future band use remains a matter for licence variations and any subsequent regulatory amendments. (ofcom.org.uk)
For operators and vendors, the immediate tasks are engineering and assurance. MNOs working with satellite partners should model link budgets for the paired 1,800 MHz blocks, confirm handset support for the cited ETSI specifications, and demonstrate TRP compliance once antenna gain, duty cycle and scheduling are accounted for. Vendors should align test artefacts to the referenced ETSI versions to avoid re-test.
For users, availability will be gradual and dependent on operator roll-outs and commercial agreements rather than a single national switch-on. Early offers are likely to emphasise basic connectivity in partial-coverage areas and resilience, not high-rate mobile broadband. The airborne prohibition rules out use on aircraft and drones, and the Regulations do not cover the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Key dates are explicit. The Regulations were made on 16 February 2026 and come into force on 25 February 2026, signed for Ofcom by the Group Director, Spectrum Group. That timetable gives industry a short window to finalise compliance and commercial steps before commencement.
Ofcom indicates that a full regulatory impact assessment is available on its website and that copies have been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament, with hard copies available on request from Riverside House in London SE1. Stakeholders seeking detailed modelling assumptions should refer to that assessment.