Satellite-based communication and the internet are the next big tech frontier for smartphones, and MediaTek is trying to position itself as a tech leader by formalizing a high-stakes partnership with SpaceX to bring native Starlink compatibility for emergency messages to the M90 modem.
MediaTek and SpaceX partner to bring native Starlink compatibility for emergency messages to the M90 modem
MediaTek has now announced that it is collaborating with SpaceX's Starlink to "support wireless emergency alert messages via satellite communication," allowing global smartphone users "to receive alerts from the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) framework, and the Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System (ETWS)."
At the Mobile World Congress 2026, MediaTek demonstrated Starlink's mobile connectivity on a device powered by the MediaTek M90, which is "the world’s first 5G modem with integrated satellite technology."
According to the chip manufacturer, the tie-up leverages Starlink's Direct to Cell technology that uses the S-Band - a segment of the microwave radio spectrum that typically ranges from 2GHz to 4 GHz - to deliver emergency messages.
MediaTek believes its M90 modem has fundamentally solved "the cellular coverage gaps that often occur during natural disasters and other emergencies, and is an important step for commercial deployment of standardized NR-NTN technology."
This comes as MediaTek recently took a material stake in the silicon photonics-focused startup, Ayar Labs, indicating its desire to procure a proverbial seat at the table as silicon photonics continues to evolve from a frontier concept into a viable framework for next-gen chip fabrication. After all, the technology has massive ramifications not just for AI data centers but also for mobile-focused APs, which is still MediaTek's dominant business.
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