Satellite to smartphone network operator AST SpaceMobile and mobile telco Vodafone have entered into a 10-year commercial agreement to expand broadband connectivity globally.
Under the agreement, Vodafone will offer space-based cellular broadband connectivity in its home markets, as well as to other operators via its Partner Markets program.
Since 2018, Vodafone has been a three-time investor in AST SpaceMobile, and is a key technology partner in AST SpaceMobile's development, including direct-to-device connectivity with everyday smartphones.
Aside from Vodafone, AT&T, Verizon, Google, Rakuten, American Tower, Cisneros Group and Bell Canada are also existing investors in AST SpaceMobile.
In April 2023, AST SpaceMobile and partners completed a space-based voice call to an unmodified phone.
Then in June 2023, AST SpaceMobile achieved a 4G download speed above 10 Mbps, followed by a 5G voice call in September 2023.
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Since then, AST SpaceMobile and its partners have demonstrated over 20 mbps download speeds to unmodified phones on a 5 Mhz channel.
Vodafone has placed an order for its first Block 1 BlueBird gateway, on the BlueBird system, where LEO satellites route data to land-based BlueBird gateways.
Users outside traditional cellular coverage will be able to connect their everyday smartphones directly to AST SpaceMobile's satellites in low Earth orbit, which in turn will route the data to the gateway.
These gateways will then connect to Vodafone's existing network infrastructure to route the broadband data to users' devices, as well as to access third-party Apps and the Internet.
According to AST SpaceMobile, the next-generation Block 2 BlueBirds featuring up to 2,400 square foot communications arrays, are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird satellites in orbit today, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data, and video applications.