The satellite technology sector is showing an active expansion of partnerships and entry into new market segments in early 2026. Microsoft has begun cooperation with Starlink to provide internet to remote regions, in particular in Kenya, while Archer Aviation is integrating satellite systems into air taxis. At the same time, the European Union is preparing to launch its own IRIS2 network with enhanced signal protection. An important stage in the development of the market in Ukraine was the successful testing of payment terminals using Direct-to-Cell technology and the consequences of the implementation of the terminal verification system.
Adaptis has collected the main news in the field of satellite communications.
Microsoft and Starlink have partnered to provide connectivity to hard-to-reach regions
Microsoft has announced a partnership with Starlink to connect regions where traditional terrestrial infrastructure is not economically feasible. The strategy is to use Starlink satellite capacity in combination with the resources of Microsoft's local providers.
One of the first cases of this collaboration was Kenya. Starlink, together with local internet provider Mawingu Networks, Microsoft has already connected 450 public facilities in rural and underserved areas, including farmer cooperatives and digital hubs.
Thanks to this cooperation, farmers will gain access to artificial intelligence-based services that will help them run their farms more efficiently, find buyers for their products faster, and use modern digital services.
Starlink has updated the process for changing your tariff plan
Previously, when changing from a cheaper tariff to a more expensive one, you had to pay extra for the remaining days, and this transition took place instantly. However, switching from a more expensive tariff to a cheaper one was only possible with the start of a new billing period.
The company recently updated the system, and switching from one tariff to another has become more flexible. Now, when changing a plan, the user can choose: to switch to the new tariff immediately or from a new billing period.
It is important to note that users who decide to switch from a more expensive tariff to a cheaper one a few days before the fee is charged will not receive a refund for the remaining funds.
Archer Aviation will install Starlink on the Midnight electric aircraft
Starlink continues to expand its partner base, including a partnership with Archer Aviation to integrate its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite system into Midnight aircraft. This partnership marks Starlink’s entry into a new category of urban air travel. The system will provide passengers, pilots, and ground engineering teams with reliable, low-latency internet access, even at low altitudes and in dense urban environments where conventional communications often suffer.
The Midnight aircraft, designed to carry four passengers, is quieter than conventional aircraft and more environmentally friendly. Midnight is built with redundant systems throughout the aircraft, including 12 engines and propellers, allowing Archer to achieve a level of safety comparable to commercial airliners. In addition to providing services for passengers, Archer plans to use Starlink capabilities to support critical communications infrastructure and future development of autonomous aircraft. As noted by Archer founder Adam Goldstein, Starlink technologies are ideally suited for the specifics of flights at an altitude of about 1,500 feet (≈ 0.457 km), ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers.
The EU is launching its own alternative to Starlink, which will have a higher level of protection
The European Union is starting to deploy its own satellite network, IRIS2. And as some experts point out, it has the potential to surpass Starlink in terms of security and technological solutions, reports "Radio Liberty". As reported by the European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, a key feature of the system will be the introduction of quantum technologies for signal encryption. This approach guarantees a significantly higher level of communication security, which is critically important for the state and defense sectors. It is important that Ukraine will also be able to access the capabilities of IRIS2 in the future.
The project is being implemented through the joint efforts of leading European companies: France's Eutelsat, Spain's Hispasat, and Luxembourg's SES SA. According to the approved plan, the system should reach operational capacity in 2029. After full deployment, the constellation will consist of 290 satellites placed in different orbits to ensure stable coverage and signal stability.
In parallel with the preparation of IRIS2, the GovSatCom system has been deployed in the European Union since January 2026. At the initial stage, it will bring together exclusively government resources to provide secure communication channels in government institutions. However, next year, commercial partners are planned to be involved in the project. This will allow expanding the functionality of the system and using its capabilities in the interests of security and defense on a broader level.
Kyivstar and Mastercard successfully tested the operation of payment terminals using Starlink Direct to Cell technology
Kyivstar, in partnership with Mastercard, has completed testing of 4G POS terminals via Starlink Direct to Cell satellite technology in Ukraine, the company's website reports .
In particular, now conventional payment terminals will be able to work via satellite - this will allow you to accept card payments even where terrestrial networks are damaged or absent.
“Ukrainians and businesses can continue to use financial services even where the mobile network is unavailable. We have made sure that 4G terminals can work via satellite, which enhances the resilience of the financial services market. Testing has shown that the technology can be used by banks in their business infrastructure to make payment services even more accessible and reliable for customers across the country. This will provide additional access to payments in the most difficult conditions – when you need to pay for a product or receive a service,” says Ilya Polshakov, Director of New Business Development at Kyivstar.
This project is part of a larger collaboration between the companies. In addition to satellite technologies, Mastercard and Kyivstar are working together on Big Data solutions, financial scoring, and small business support to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and digital resilience.
5 million Ukrainians have already used Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellite communication
Every third Starlink Direct-to-Cell user in the world is Ukrainian - this statistic was announced by Kyivstar at the MWC 2026 exhibition in Barcelona, reports Dev.ua.
According to information, 5 million Ukrainians have already used Direct-to-Cell, which is almost a third of the total number of users worldwide (16 million). Since November 2025, when the service was launched, Ukrainians have sent 7 million messages via Direct-to-Cell. In the last month alone, 376 thousand messages were sent in the frontline zones in the southeast and east of Ukraine.
In 2026, Kyivstar plans to launch the Light Data service, which will provide basic mobile Internet access for smartphones optimized for the satellite environment. Work is also underway on applications for important government and emergency services to ensure they work even in critical situations.
After the shutdown of Russian Starlink, traffic in Ukraine fell by 75%
As a result of SpaceX introducing Starlink terminal verification in Ukraine, overall traffic has dropped by 75%. Kentik analyst Doug Medory reported this, citing network monitoring data. This information is also confirmed by Cloudflare statistics, which recorded a sharp drop in activity on February 4. It was on that day that Russian military bloggers began to complain en masse about communication failures, noting that the disruptions affected both sides.
Despite the occupiers' complaints, the Ukrainian military reported only short-term and minor problems for some users. As the publication "Military" notes, after the incident, the traffic level stabilized at 25-30% of previous values and has not returned. The lack of activity recovery indicates that Russia has not yet found an effective way to bypass geofencing and blocking by SpaceX.
Conclusion
Today, satellite technologies are constantly reaching a new level of application, integrating into previously inaccessible segments of the economy and security. Ukraine in this process acts as the main global platform for innovation, demonstrating unique cases of communication integration, for example, in the banking sector. Global competition and increased control over terminals make the market more mature, stable and protected from external threats. The Adaptis team continues to monitor all the latest industry news so that you always remain at the center of technological events.
