FCC Clears 248-Satellite Constellation for Direct-to-Device Cellular Broadband Service
Authorization Enables AST SpaceMobile to provide Low-Band Spectrum Coverage for Unmodified Smartphones
The Federal Communications Commission has granted commercial authority to AST SpaceMobile to deploy a 248-satellite constellation in low Earth orbit to deliver cellular broadband coverage directly to unmodified smartphones across the United States, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for space-based supplemental coverage.
The FCC order, released April 21, authorizes AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) of Midland, Texas, to modify its existing satellite license and operate a non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system designed to provide Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) using premium low-band spectrum — 700 MHz and 800 MHz — in coordination with strategic partners Verizon, AT&T, and FirstNet, the national public safety broadband network.
The approval substantially expands AST SpaceMobile’s previously authorized constellation from 25 satellites to 248. The FCC has set binding deployment milestones: the company must launch at least 124 satellites — half the authorized constellation — by Aug. 2, 2030, and have the full 248-satellite system operational by Aug. 2, 2033.
Low-band spectrum at 700 MHz and 800 MHz provides superior signal penetration and coverage range compared to higher frequencies, making it particularly effective for reaching rural, remote, and underserved areas where terrestrial cellular infrastructure is limited or absent. Because the SCS service uses spectrum already licensed to partner mobile network operators, subscribers need no new devices or separate service plans — existing, unmodified smartphones would access space-based coverage seamlessly when out of terrestrial range.
The authorization also supports international expansion, granting operating rights for feeder links and sub-1 GHz direct-to-device spectrum that would form the regulatory basis for country-by-country authorizations outside the United States. The company has definitive commercial agreements with both Verizon and AT&T in the domestic market.
The FCC action represents a significant regulatory advance even as the company contends with a near-term operational setback. BlueBird 7 — what would have been the company’s seventh operational broadband satellite — was placed into a lower-than-planned orbit during a Blue Origin New Glenn 3 mission launched April 19 from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The satellite carries a phased-array antenna of approximately 2,400 square feet and was designed to deliver 4G and 5G broadband at peak speeds above 120 Mbps directly to standard smartphones. The company is assessing options for the spacecraft.
AST SpaceMobile has said it aims to deploy between 45 and 60 satellites in 2026 to enable continuous broadband service in initial U.S. target markets, with a target of up to 90 satellites potentially achievable by 2027. The company is also developing a proprietary application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) intended to further enhance satellite performance, with production expected to begin around mid-2026.
The company reported $70.9 million in full-year 2025 revenue, drawn from mobile network operator partnerships and U.S. government contracts, including agreements with the Space Development Agency for secure government communications.
The FCC’s SCS framework is part of a broader regulatory effort to extend mobile coverage to areas underserved by terrestrial networks. Under the rules, satellite providers must operate in coordination with licensed spectrum holders — in this case Verizon and AT&T — rather than independently, ensuring the satellite service functions as a complement to existing ground-based networks rather than a standalone offering.
The commission’s order also grants AST SpaceMobile international operating rights for feeder links and sub-1 GHz direct-to-device spectrum, enabling the company to seek individual country authorizations to extend its service globally. The company currently holds preliminary commercial agreements with additional carriers in international markets.