Definitive Commercial Agreement Reached by Verizon, AST SpaceMobile
Will Provide Direct-to-Device Service Across the Continental US
A definitive commercial agreement to provide direct-to-cellular service when needed has been signed by Verizon and AST SpaceMobile. Under the agreement, the service, scheduled to be available next year, will further enhance Verizon’s network.
“Through our definitive commercial agreement with Verizon, we are working to deliver space-based cellular broadband coverage from space across the continental United States.”
Abel Avellan, AST SpaceMobile
The combination of Verizon’s terrestrial mobile network, the use of premium multi-operator 850 MHz cellular spectrum, and AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation space-based cellular network in low Earth orbit, is planned to enable cellular customers to stay connected wherever they are.
AST SpaceMobile’s network can connect directly to everyday smartphones, eliminating the need for specialized equipment. The network is designed to operate across premium low-band spectrum, the company’s own licensed L-band and S-band spectrum, and up to 1,150 MHz of mobile network operator partners’ low- and mid-band spectrum, globally. These capabilities advance AST SpaceMobile’s efforts toward commercial service.
“Through our definitive commercial agreement with Verizon, we are working to deliver space-based cellular broadband coverage from space across the continental United States,” said Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “The agreement will extend the scope of Verizon’s 850 MHz premium low-band spectrum into areas of the U.S. that would benefit from the ubiquitous reach of space-based broadband technology.”
This agreement follows testing milestones that have proven the capabilities of the AST SpaceMobile network. In a recent demonstration, the companies successfully completed direct voice and video calls, as well as two-way RCS messaging, between standard, unmodified smartphones and a BlueBird satellite in space. A Voice over LTE (VoLTE) call was made from a smartphone on Verizon’s network in Texas, connecting via an AST SpaceMobile satellite to another Verizon smartphone in New Jersey. These successful tests represent a significant advance in satellite-to-cellular technology and pave the way for a future of ubiquitous connectivity.
“This partnership with AST SpaceMobile is a good step forward in our mission to build a seamlessly connected world. We are not just filling in the map; we are creating a new paradigm of connectivity that will unlock the full potential of the digital age,” said Srini Kalapala, Senior Vice President of Technology and Product Development at Verizon. “By integrating our expansive, reliable, robust terrestrial network with this innovative space-based technology, we are paving the way for a future where everything and everyone can be connected, regardless of geography.”