Starlink Mobile for North Macedonia is planned for a later phase via 4iG, with no date
Under the September 2 agreement, North Macedonia is on the “V2” list, but the first generation is launching in Hungary and Albania.
The Hungarian telecommunications group 4iG and SpaceX signed an agreement on September 2, 2026 to introduce Starlink Mobile and “sovereign solutions” in Europe. The agreement was signed in Texas. For North Macedonia the key information is in the details: according to 4iG's release, the commercial launch of the first generation of Starlink Mobile is planned in Hungary and Albania, and North Macedonia is listed among the countries for the second version, “V2”, together with Albania, Montenegro and Hungary.
What is Starlink Mobile? It is a “direct-to-device” service. Phones that support LTE connect directly to satellites, without separate satellite equipment. According to 4iG, the service complements terrestrial mobile networks and provides coverage where conventional networks are limited or unavailable, especially in mountainous areas and coastal waters. It can also serve for connectivity during emergencies and temporary outages.
The second version is described as a service that enables broadband internet directly to phones, using SpaceX's rights to 2 GHz spectrum and enabling 5G non-terrestrial network capabilities. But for it the release says only that it will arrive “in the future”, with no date.
For the first generation, 4iG says it is “targeted” to launch but gives no date, and the pace, according to the release, will depend on the regulatory, technical and commercial conditions in each market. That means the Macedonian market will need regulator approvals, agreements and technical conditions. The sovereign solutions, intended for national security, are to start “next year”, according to the release.
Where is 4iG in North Macedonia? In October 2024 the group registered a subsidiary, ONE Macedonia Telecommunications, to enter the Macedonian market. According to the headlines of SeeNews and DCD reports, ONE Macedonia was later selected as the third mobile operator and obtained a mobile license. The group already operates in Albania and Montenegro.
Beside the Macedonian step, there is also Hungarian uncertainty. According to Telex, the new Hungarian government is reviewing 4iG's contracts with the state, worth 2.36 billion euros in total, so it is unclear whether the state will keep working with the group. That does not mean the Macedonian project is at risk, but it is a reason to watch whether all conditions of the agreement remain unchanged.
What is not known? It is not known when “V2” will reach North Macedonia, whether ONE Macedonia will offer it, under what conditions, at what price and at what speed. It is also unknown whether the Agency for Electronic Communications will issue the necessary approvals, or how many of the phones in use are compatible. There are no dates for the Macedonian market.
What does it mean? For people outside the cities and in mountain areas, a direct satellite link for an ordinary phone is a real idea, but in the Macedonian version it has been announced only as a future step. Until there is a date, a price and regulatory approval, it is an announcement, not a service.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 20, 2026
