POWERING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Partners
Together delivering space-based cellular broadband to billions of people
POWERING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Partners
Together delivering space-based cellular broadband to billions of people
Our strategic partnerships are key to developing, testing, and validating our technology. Together, we have achieved the world’s first voice, video, and 5G calls from space to unmodified smartphones.
AT&T helps more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to their 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, ATT innovates to improve lives.
Rakuten embraces new and disruptive ideas, is committed to acting on them and has the operational agility to implement and deliver at speed. Serving users worldwide through businesses based in 30 countries and regions. Rakuten Group has 70+ businesses and 1.6 billion members across the world.
stc group is a digital enabler, providing a comprehensive suite of services encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), formed in 2000, is a global leader in tech and communications. Headquartered in NYC, Verizon generated $134B in revenue in 2023. It offers data, video, and voice services via award-winning networks, meeting demand for mobility and secure connectivity.
Google LLC is a global technology leader known for its search engine that connects billions of users with information every day. Google also develops a wide range of products and services, including Android, YouTube, Google Cloud, and AI innovations, shaping the future of information access and digital experiences worldwide.
Bell is Canada’s largest communications company providing advanced Bell broadband wireless, Internet, TV, media and business communications services. Founded in Montréal in 1880, Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc.
Vodafone is a leading telecommunications company in Europe, Africa, and Asia. With approximately 265 million customers, our partnership with Vodafone will not only improve their customers’ internet access, but also extend coverage to those who still do not have a reliable connection to the internet.
American Tower is a global provider of wireless communications infrastructure. They offer solutions and services to deploy and support wireless networks in 25 countries located on six continents.
stc group is a digital enabler, providing a comprehensive suite of services encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
Mobile Network
Operators
We have joined forces with over 50 mobile network operators – serving nearly 3 billion subscribers combined – to seamlessly integrate our satellite network with their ground infrastructure. When users are out of reach of cell towers, their phones will automatically connect to our satellites for uninterrupted 4G and 5G coverage wherever they live, work, or travel.
Chris Sambar, Former Head of Network at AT&T
“For a wireless carrier, there’s some really challenging areas to cover in America, so we’re always looking for new, unique, different solutions. AST and AT&T have been working together since 2018. We visited Midland multiple times, and we’ve been really impressed with the AST team, the thought they put into it, and the working relationship on all these deep technical subjects. They’ve got some really smart engineers over there, and it’s been a great collaboration.”
Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group, Board Member of AST SpaceMobile
“When we were starting Rakuten Mobile about seven years ago, we knew it wasn’t going to be easy to build a nationwide network. So, we were looking for an alternative, and that’s when we met Abel and AST SpaceMobile. He explained the concept of a gigantic satellite, and we thought, physically and scientifically, this should work, but the key is implementation. We have to put the satellite in the air, the software adjustment is very challenging, but we got it done.”
Tom Griffiths, Head of Subscription Platforms and Innovation at Vodafone
“AST has the ultimate cell towers in the sky. This is important in Europe, because it offers us a sovereign network. We’ve been on the technical journey since 2018 and commercial journey for the last couple of years, and this is a game-changer. It allows us as operators to make a promise we can keep, a promise that if you can see the sky, you will get five bars of coverage.”
Ed Knapp, Former CTO of American Tower and current AST SpaceMobile Board Member
“What we’re seeing is the ability to enhance public safety, close the digital divide, and to be in a position where fundamentally, the operators who we serve can further expand their network and capability in a more reliable, high-performing way. Users don’t expect to have coverage everywhere, all the time. In the future, they will demand it. And that future is now.”
Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon
On achieving Verizon’s first space-based video call: “Adding this layer of ability – not only to text someone, but to be able to call, video chat, or send files – whether in the wilderness, or in a remote part of a lake community, will only enhance the reliability of our customers’ connectivity and communication experience.”
Mark McDonald, EVP and Chief Technology Officer of Bell
On achieving Canada’s first space-based VoLTE call, data, and video streaming:
“Our strategic investment in AST SpaceMobile, coupled with our ownership and operation of the Canadian ground infrastructure and deployment of low band spectrum, means we are uniquely positioned to deliver a highly reliable space-based cellular service that Canadians can depend on, built with their security and connectivity needs as the top priority.”