NTT Docomo, Softbank back Starlink for Japan
October 27, 2025
By Chris Forrester
AST SpaceMobile, which has a Japanese partner with Rakuten Mobile, will have competition in terms of Direct-To-Consumer connectivity. The threat comes from a joint venture between wireless telecom provider NTT Docomo and financial powerhouse Softbank.
NTT Docomo and SoftBank are preparing to launch direct satellite communication services for smartphones in 2026, leveraging the Starlink satellite network operated by US-based SpaceX. Starlink already has a commercial relationship in Japan with telecoms operator KDDI.
Time will tell how the NTT/Softbank offering pans out, but Rakuten Mobile – and AST – have already successfully tested their offering. They announced the successful completion of the first-ever broadband video call between everyday unmodified smartphones in Japan using a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite from AST, held in April 2025. Rakuten says its service will launch in Q4 2026.
The test video call marked a major step toward the launch of Rakuten Saikyo Satellite Service Powered by AST SpaceMobile, which aims to expand connectivity across Japan – including mountainous regions, remote islands and in emergency situations such as areas affected by natural disasters.
During the test, radio waves were transmitted from Rakuten Mobile’s gateway earth station in Fukushima Prefecture to a BlueBird Block 1 satellite, which then relayed the signal to a smartphone. This enabled broadband communication between Fukushima and Tokyo using a standard communication app on an everyday unmodified smartphone, successfully demonstrating direct satellite-to-smartphone connectivity.
The video call was completed on standard, unmodified smartphones available in Japan.
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