A new wave of partnerships between telcos and satellite/non-terrestrial network (NTN) players is reshaping the connectivity landscape, but the market remains far from mature, analyst house STL Partners has reported in its satellite tracker report Skywatch. STL Partners’ analysis of 74 announcements since January 2024 reveals a striking trend: only 20 per cent of the […]

Texas-based AST SpaceMobile has struck an agreement with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for global S-band priority transmission rights. Under the deal, AST will acquire Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum rights in the 1980–2010 MHz and 2170–2200 MHz frequency bands for use in low-earth orbit. The transaction aligns with the company’s 3GPP global spectrum framework […]

India’s Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is contracted to launch an important heavyweight satellite (FM1) for AST Space Mobile (AST). The launch was originally said to happen in June, then the date slipped to July. Then to August. But now there’s talk of a further delay. India news sources say that – in essence – the […]

AST SpaceMobile, which is building a satellite-based system to provide global 5G cellular access, says it will see 20 of its powerful Block 2 satellites launched this year. The first of that number will be launched during August on nan Indian rocket. It already has five of its earlier Block 1 satellites in orbit which […]

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, Waymo self-driving cars and dozens of other subsidiaries, is further investing in would-be satellite direct-to-consumer cellular activity AST SpaceMobile. Google is already a strategic investor in AST SpaceMobile, having participated in a $155 million (€132.6m) investment round alongside AT&T and Vodafone in January 2024. The investment supported AST SpaceMobile’s […]

Would-be global satellite broadband operator AST SpaceMobile has made a satellite modification request to the FCC regarding its operational fleet of satellites. The modification was submitted a month ago by its AST & Science subsidiary and proposes two new 14-satellite shells (98.13° inclination @ 685 km) alongside its already approved 520 km & 690 km […]

Another investment bank has upgraded its views on AST SpaceMobile – which is planning a global direct-to-cellular satellite broadband service. Roth Capital Partners, headquartered in Newport Beach, California, has raised its share price target for AST to $51 (from $42) and citing the 89 per cent rise in AST’s share price since April. Roth rates […]

An intriguing idea been floated around by Defence news expert Larry Ramer, suggesting that Amazon should buy – or make a considerable investment – in AST SpaceMobile. Ramer explained: “In light of the tremendous potential of AST’s technology, I also would not be surprised if AMZN eventually decides to buy AST for as much as […]

AST SpaceMobile’s first launch (FM1) of its second-generation Bluebird broadband satellites has been delayed. July 1st saw AST write to the FCC asking for permission to ship the satellite from its Texas HQ to the Indian launch site and for the FCC to grant an “experimental authority to launch and test” the satellite. AST is […]

Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile have a joint-venture covering AST’s planned ‘direct-to-consumer’ satellite-based cellular service. The pair have chosen Luxembourg as the new company’s headquarters. Mobile operators covering 21 EU member states and other European countries have already expressed an interest in using the service; commercial launches expected from 2026. The planned establishment of the new […]