AST SpaceMobile together with telco giant AT&T is to start beta-tests of its Direct-to-Cellular satellite service over the US. A statement talked of using “real smartphones” in the tests and using the first five AST satellites already in orbit.

AST is due to launch a much larger satellite in a week’s time from an Indian rocket site and over the next quarter will use rockets from SpaceX and Blue Origin to launch more satellites.

The beta-tests will use frequencies in the 700-850 MHz bands.

Meanwhile, rival SpaceX’s Starlink has filed a trademark application for ‘Starlink Mobile’, considered to be a potentially global service from Elon Musk.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite

Tags: AST SpaceMobile, elon musk, spacex, starlink, usa