au Starlink Direct satellite roaming expands to four countries

August 31, 2026. KDDI has expanded au Starlink Direct roaming to the Philippines and New Zealand, joining the United States and Canada. Eligible au customers can connect a compatible phone directly to a local partner's Starlink satellites when ordinary mobile coverage is unavailable.

The August 27 KDDI announcement sets August 31, Japan time, as the start date in both new countries. It also publishes separate launch-device lists for each market. When we checked on August 31, au's detailed overseas support page had not yet added country sections for the Philippines or New Zealand, so travelers should use KDDI's launch notice for the effective date and recheck the support page before departure.

The traveler verdict: This is useful satellite backup for a specific group: eligible au customers with a country-approved phone in a supported dead zone. It is not general internet access for every app, a guarantee of signal across an entire country, or a travel eSIM that anyone can buy.

Where au Starlink Direct roaming works now

KDDI now names four supported countries. The launch announcement confirms the two new partner networks and initial phones, while the detailed au support page still needs to catch up with country-specific coverage links and operating labels.

KDDI called the original US launch the world's first cross-border direct satellite-to-smartphone roaming connection. That claim concerns a phone line roaming onto another country's direct-to-cell satellite partner. It does not mean the service covers every location or replaces ordinary international roaming.

Globe's domestic satellite-to-mobile service and au's new roaming access are separate arrangements. A qualifying local Globe customer follows Globe's rules; a Japanese visitor using this roaming benefit needs an eligible au line and one of KDDI's approved Philippine devices. Our Globe Starlink Mobile Philippines traveler guide explains the local-SIM, promotion and phone requirements.

An effective date is not a guarantee of signal on every route. KDDI says the service is for places beyond terrestrial coverage and works best with a clear view of the sky. Until au publishes the new country sections, travelers should also confirm the current coverage link, on-screen network label and any destination-specific conditions before relying on it.

Who qualifies and what the satellite connection costs

The current au Starlink Direct overseas page says the roaming benefit is for customers on an au price plan that can use au Starlink Direct. It specifically excludes the old dedicated au Starlink Direct plan that is closed to new applications.

For the time being, the satellite roaming benefit is free and includes supported data use and satellite SMS sending. au has not set an end date for the free period. It says customers will be told if the service moves to paid access.

No separate overseas application is currently required. That does not make it available to a visitor with an unrelated Japanese, US, Canadian, Philippine or New Zealand phone plan. The qualifying au line, an approved device and the destination-specific partner arrangement are all part of the connection.

There is one billing boundary worth understanding. au says an SMS completed inside ordinary au World Service coverage can incur the normal overseas SMS charge. Its free satellite benefit applies in the supported dead-zone service. In a place with terrestrial coverage, customers use an au overseas option such as au Overseas Flat Rate or the applicable pay-as-you-go roaming terms.

Satellite roaming starts only outside terrestrial coverage

au Starlink Direct is designed to take over when the eligible phone loses conventional service in a supported area. The phone searches for the local satellite partner and should connect automatically when the settings, sky view and network conditions allow it.

The hierarchy matters:

1. In ordinary mobile coverage, the phone uses the relevant terrestrial roaming service.
2. In a supported dead zone, the eligible au line can look for the partner's direct-to-cell satellite service.
3. The satellite icon or carrier label shows that the phone has found that layer.

In the United States, the screen should show T-Mobile SpaceX. In Canada, it should show ROGERS SATELLITE. KDDI's March release used a slightly different US display example, T Mobile SpaceX-au, so travelers should rely on the current au support page and the satellite indicator rather than one exact punctuation style.

Connection may take time. Trees, mountains and buildings can obstruct the view of the sky, and seeing a satellite icon does not guarantee that a message or supported app action will finish. au suggests closing and reopening the app or briefly toggling airplane mode if a supported action stalls, with airplane mode normally left off during use.

Do not treat the published land coverage as a promise for a cruise ship, aircraft or international water. The current au page defines partner areas by country and terrestrial dead zone. It does not publish a maritime or in-flight service promise.

Each country has its own phone list

Device compatibility is country-specific because the partner networks use different frequency bands. A phone that works with au Starlink Direct in Japan, or even in the United States, may not qualify in Canada.

The current US list includes:

• Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 families listed by au;
• the au model of the Motorola razr 60 ultra; and
• iPhone 13 through iPhone 17 families listed on the page, including the iPhone Air, 16e and 17e.

For non-Pixel Android phones, au says only its own models qualify, not versions sold by another carrier or directly by the manufacturer. The exact model source therefore matters as much as the product name.

Canada currently has a narrower list: the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 families shown by au, including the Pixel 10a. The page does not currently list iPhone or Motorola models under Canada. Do not carry the longer US list across the border by assumption.

At launch, the Philippines supports the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, Pixel 11 Pro Fold, AQUOS sense10 and AQUOS sense9. New Zealand supports the same Pixel 11 family and AQUOS sense10, but KDDI does not list the AQUOS sense9 there. These are the lists in the August 27 announcement for August 31, and KDDI says more devices will be added over time.

This is also separate from eSIM compatibility. A phone may support a Roaming eSIM but lack the radio, software or carrier approval needed for satellite service. The reverse can also be true if a device is locked or its eSIM configuration is restricted.

Settings to check before leaving Japan

KDDI tells customers to update the phone before travel. Do this over reliable Wi-Fi rather than waiting until a remote road or trail.

For Android:

• install the latest operating-system and supported-app updates; and
• turn roaming on for the au Starlink Direct line under the SIM settings.

For iPhone:

• install the latest iOS version;
• confirm satellite communication is enabled under Mobile Data Options; and
• turn data roaming on for the au Starlink Direct SIM.

That last setting deserves care if another line supplies trip data. Selecting a Roaming eSIM as the mobile-data line and disabling automatic mobile-data switching can prevent the phone from silently moving general data to the home line. However, au also requires roaming to be enabled on its line for this satellite benefit. Check the au terrestrial-roaming terms for the destination and test the exact dual-SIM setup before leaving coverage.

Save maps, booking details and emergency contacts offline. Direct-to-cell satellite service is an additional path, not a substitute for an offline backup.

Which apps and messages work over the satellite link

KDDI says the overseas service supports text messaging and approved satellite-ready apps. Its announcements name Google Maps, WhatsApp, LINE and X as examples. The live list can change as app versions and network capabilities change, so the current au supported-app page should be checked before the trip.

Do not read "data" as unrestricted web access. A supported app may expose only selected functions over the low-capacity satellite link. Large uploads, video calls, hotspot use and ordinary browsing are not promised by the current overseas page.

Standard voice calling is also not a safe assumption. The current T-Mobile satellite coverage terms say voice calling, including a conventional call to 911, is not supported over satellite at this time. Emergency messaging availability and routing can differ from normal emergency calls, and au says Japan's ETWS emergency-alert system is unavailable overseas.

For a remote itinerary, keep the local emergency number, accommodation contact and route details offline. Satellite messaging can be valuable, but it should not be the only emergency plan.

Does au Starlink Direct replace a travel eSIM?

No. It fills a different part of the coverage map.

au Starlink Direct is a dead-zone layer for eligible au subscribers. A Roaming eSIM is a terrestrial mobile-data plan for compatible, unlocked phones. It is meant for ordinary use around airports, cities, roads and other places served by the package's listed partner networks.

The two can complement each other on a supported phone. A Japanese au customer could use a Roaming eSIM for regular destination data and keep the au line available for supported satellite functions outside terrestrial coverage. The dual-line settings must be managed carefully so general data does not fall back to an unintended roaming line.

🛰️ au wins in a supported satellite-only dead zone: a working direct-to-cell link can send a message where a terrestrial Roaming eSIM has no partner signal. Roaming eSIM does not provide satellite coverage.

🏆 Roaming eSIM wins for broad eligibility and everyday trip data: the live catalog check on August 8 returned 37 US plans, 33 Canada plans, 19 Philippines plans and 17 New Zealand plans. Travelers can compare the actual allowance, duration, listed operators and retail price without needing a Japanese au subscription or a country-specific satellite phone list.

The catalog snapshot started at USD 0.60 in each market, but the smallest card is not automatically the right one. Coverage, data allowance, validity and whether the chosen package is reloadable still need to match the route. Roaming eSIM's advantage is the choice and transparency, not a promise that every package works in every dead zone.

Compare the United States Roaming eSIM, Canada Roaming eSIM, Philippines Roaming eSIM and New Zealand Roaming eSIM cards. For a border-crossing trip, the country versus regional Roaming eSIM guide explains when one regional package is simpler than separate country plans.

Ten questions travelers ask about au Starlink Direct roaming

1. Which countries are supported now? KDDI lists the United States, Canada, Philippines and New Zealand. The two newest countries start on August 31, Japan time.
2. Has au published full Philippines and New Zealand support pages? Not at our August 31 check. The KDDI launch notice confirms the date, partners and initial phones, but au's detailed page still showed only US and Canada country sections.
3. Can anyone buy the service for a trip? No. The traveler needs a qualifying au plan, an approved device and the partner service in the destination.
4. Is overseas satellite use free? au says it is free for the time being, with no published end date. Terrestrial roaming and SMS completed on the terrestrial service can have separate charges.
5. Do I need to apply before departure? No separate overseas application is currently required, but the plan and device must already qualify.
6. Will the phone connect automatically? It should in a supported dead zone after the phone is updated and roaming is enabled, but an open sky and available satellite capacity still matter.
7. Does every compatible phone work in all four countries? No. Each country has its own approved list because frequency support varies by local partner.
8. Can I make a normal satellite phone call? Do not rely on it. Current consumer guidance focuses on texts and supported apps, and T-Mobile says ordinary satellite voice calling is not supported at this time.
9. Will WhatsApp, LINE and Maps work normally? KDDI names supported satellite-ready apps, but only approved functions may work and messages can be delayed. Check the live app list before travel.
10. Should I still buy trip data? Usually yes if you need regular internet access. au Starlink Direct covers eligible dead-zone use; a Roaming eSIM covers the terrestrial part of the trip when a listed partner network is available.

Our travel eSIM versus roaming guide explains the broader home-carrier and separate-plan decision. The calls and SMS guide covers how the usual phone number can stay active beside a data line, and the eSIM troubleshooting guide gives a terrestrial connection checklist.

Sources and updates

The Philippines and New Zealand start date, partners and launch-device lists came from KDDI's August 27 English announcement. The US launch and original dead-zone operation were checked against KDDI's English March announcement. Current eligibility, pricing, settings, US and Canada limits, supported phones and network labels came from the live au overseas service page. The T-Mobile coverage terms and Rogers coverage map were used for partner context.

The Roaming eSIM package counts and starting prices were checked through the public catalog endpoints at 08:20 UTC on August 8, 2026. Package inventory can change, so the current product card is the source of truth at checkout.

Update policy: We will update this page when au adds the Philippines and New Zealand country sections, publishes their coverage links and network labels, changes the free period, expands a destination's device list, adds or removes a supported app, or materially changes the terrestrial-versus-satellite roaming rules.