MediaTek And Starlink Launch Satellite Emergency Alerts For Mobile Devices At MWC 2026

At the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, MediaTek partnered with Starlink to provide wireless emergency alert messages through satellite communication. The partnership aims to provide greater global access to these critical alerts during natural disasters and other life-threatening events by enabling mobile devices to send notifications even in areas where there is no cellular network coverage.

With this partnership, more people around the world will have access to alerts from existing emergency alert systems, such as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system, and the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System (ETWS). By combining satellite communication with mobile communication, the two companies hope to make public safety communications more reliable and widely available.

MediaTek is demonstrating the Starlink Mobile service on a device powered by the M90 modem, the world’s first 5G modem with satellite technology integrated. The modem system uses Direct-to-Cell technology on the S-Band spectrum, which enables standard mobile phones to communicate directly with satellites without needing any additional hardware. This is intended to fill the coverage gaps that often exist during disasters when the ground infrastructure is destroyed or unavailable.

The partnership has already made Wireless Emergency Alerts available in the United States, Canada, and Japan. According to the press release, over 4.4 million people have accessed the Starlink Mobile service during emergency events. MediaTek says that this partnership is a move towards the commercialization of standardized 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NR-NTN) technology, which will enable more robust global communication networks during emergencies.

Filed in Cellphones >Tablets. Read more about MediaTek, MWC, MWC 2026 and Starlink.