Vodafone Australia owner TPG Telecom has sent its first direct-to-smartphone text message via low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, marking a key step toward eliminating mobile black spots across the country.

The message, ‘Happy Easter’, was transmitted from rural New South Wales near Nowendoc National Park using Lynk Global’s satellite network and received on unmodified smartphones including iPhones and Android devices. It echoes Vodafone’s historic 1992 Merry Christmas text, the first ever SMS sent globally.

This breakthrough positions TPG ahead of rival Optus, which has faced delays in launching its own satellite messaging service via Elon Musk’s Starlink due to regulatory issues and technical limitations.

Starlink’s current satellite density and spectrum allocation (around 2600 MHz) fall short of what’s needed to deliver reliable mobile service in Australia.

TPG is leveraging its regional 850 MHz spectrum – freed up through a $1.6 billion network-sharing deal with Optus – to enable this new satellite layer outside metro zones. The company says LEOsat technology will ultimately enhance, not replace, existing mobile networks, and be especially valuable for emergency communications and remote connectivity.

“This is a major step toward eliminating dead zones and achieving near-complete mobile coverage,” said TPG CTO Giovanni Chiarelli. “It proves satellite-to-smartphone messaging is viable without expensive external hardware.”

TPG’s coverage area has doubled to over one million square kilometres this year and it claims a 40% spike in customer growth, primarily from Telstra, since launching the Optus partnership. CEO Iñaki Berroeta reiterated TPG’s mission to end Telstra’s so-called “bush tax,” pointing to stark price differences between the two providers.

Iñaki Berroeta

Meanwhile, Telstra remains Australia’s coverage leader, spanning over 3 million square kilometres and reaching 99.7% of the population. It’s also investing $800 million to upgrade its network amid rising competition.

With both TPG and Telstra exploring direct-to-device satellite tech and the government-owned NBN Co considering wholesale LEOsat services, Australia’s mobile landscape is entering a new frontier, one increasingly powered by space.