Earlier this year, AST SpaceMobile achieved a significant breakthrough in satellite-based cellular communication by connecting a off-the-shelf Samsung Galaxy S22 to a satellite in low-Earth orbit, all thanks to the collaboration with AT&T. This achievement marked a major milestone in the industry, and now AST SpaceMobile is edging closer to making this technology accessible to consumers.
AST SpaceMobile recently conducted a series of tests in Hawaii, reporting impressive download speeds of 10Mbps from their BlueWalker 3 satellite to unmodified phones on the ground. Chris Sambar, the head of AT&T network, expressed his excitement by stating, “Successfully reaching double-digit download speeds during satellite-to-smartphone testing takes us one step closer to ensuring people across the United States will be able to stay connected no matter their location.”
The next objective for AST SpaceMobile is to establish a connection between a phone and the BW3 satellite using a 5G signal. The prototype satellite, delivered to low-Earth orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 in September, boasts an impressive size of 693 square feet, featuring the largest antenna among all commercial satellites to date. Nonetheless, this size has raised concerns among astronomers, as it poses challenges for their observations.
AT&T is one of the few US carriers striving to leverage satellite technology to provide connectivity to underserved rural communities. In 2021, Verizon made an agreement to utilize AST SpaceMobile’s satellite network for wireless access. More recently, T-Mobile announced its partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to test devices capable of utilizing the Starlink network. Both AT&T and T-Mobile have assured customers that their existing phones will be compatible with their satellite services.
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