04:34 AM EST, 12/15/2025 (MT Newswires) -- VEON ( VEON ) said Monday that its Kazakhstan unit, Beeline Kazakhstan, has completed a field test using Starlink Direct to Cell technology, making the first voice call and sending messages via satellite-based mobile connectivity in Central Asia.

The company said that Beeline Kazakhstan's CEO and Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister placed a WhatsApp voice call and exchanged SMS and messages with VEON's ( VEON ) CEO using standard smartphones and Beeline SIM cards connected through Starlink satellites during the test, which took place in the Akmolinskaya region.

Following the successful trial, the company said Beeline Kazakhstan plans to launch Starlink Direct to Cell services starting with SMS in 2026, pending regulatory approval.