AST SpaceMobile has announced a major agreement with Verizon to deliver space-based cellular broadband across the United States, marking one of the company’s most significant milestones and strengthening its position in the fast-growing space-to-cellular market.
As part of the deal, Verizon will integrate AST SpaceMobile’s satellite network with its existing terrestrial infrastructure, using its 850 MHz spectrum to extend mobile coverage to rural and remote areas where traditional cell towers cannot reach. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
This new partnership builds on an earlier collaboration between the two companies announced last year, when Verizon committed 100 million dollars to support AST’s network rollout. Verizon becomes the second major telecom operator to team up with AST, following a 10-year agreement the company signed with Vodafone.
The deal arrives at a pivotal time for AST, which is accelerating the deployment of its BlueBird satellite constellation designed to connect directly with standard mobile phones. The company has already launched its first five BlueBird satellites into low Earth orbit as part of its “Block 1” phase, providing intermittent coverage across the United States. AST is now preparing its “Block 2” satellites, with plans to deploy between 45 and 60 additional satellites by 2026 to enhance global connectivity.
The partnership highlights the growing competition in the satellite-to-cellular industry. SpaceX, through its Starlink network, has begun rolling out a direct-to-cell service in partnership with T-Mobile and recently expanded its ambitions by agreeing to purchase 17 billion dollars’ worth of wireless spectrum from EchoStar.
AST SpaceMobile has already achieved several key technological breakthroughs, successfully demonstrating 4G and 5G connectivity between its satellites and regular smartphones, including voice and video calls. The company said these tests have “proven the capabilities” of its technology, though scaling the service to millions of users remains a key challenge.
Following the announcement, AST SpaceMobile’s shares rose more than 15% on Wednesday, reflecting growing investor confidence in the company’s expanding partnerships and its potential to reshape mobile connectivity from space.
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