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Vodafone claims that by utilising AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird satellites, which are intended to provide a comprehensive mobile broadband experience, and a typical 4G/5G smartphone, it has made the first space video call in history from an area without service. Vodafone claims that an engineer tested it by making a video call from space to the CEO of Vodafone Group from a distant mountainous area in the middle of Wales, where mobile broadband has never been available.
Vodafone claims that customers can enjoy full mobile broadband connectivity without the need for a costly satellite phone, specialised dish, or terminal, in contrast to today's satellite-based offerings. They will be able to use regular smartphones to automatically transition between space-based and ground-based networks thanks to the service that replicates the experience of current 4G and 5G mobile networks.
Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle stated,"Vodafone's mission is to connect everyone, wherever they may be. Modern satellite technology will now be added to our sophisticated European 5G network.
According to Vodafone, it is the only satellite technology of its kind designed to provide a full mobile broadband experience. It also opens the door for digital connectivity to be available to everyone and for mobile coverage gaps to be filled.
In partnership with Vodafone, "we have achieved several world firsts in space-based broadband connectivity, including the first-ever space-based voice call, the first-ever 4G download speed above 10 Mbps, and the first-ever 5G voice call," stated AST SpaceMobile's founder, chairman, and CEO. "This latest achievement using our BlueBird satellites, takes us one step closer to our mission to eliminate connectivity gaps and make cellular broadband accessible to all."
Vodafone has been a significant technical partner and long-time investor in AST SpaceMobile.
Vodafone stated, "Direct-to-mobile broadband satellite is a fully integrated extension of its existing land-based fibre and mobile networks." The AST SpaceMobile network, which operates from low Earth orbit, is currently the only satellite service in the world that provides mobile broadband directly to multiple 4G or 5G smartphones.
In order to fill in the last remaining coverage gaps, Vodafone plans to gradually launch the direct-to-smartphone broadband satellite service commercially in markets throughout Europe later this year and in 2026 after conducting additional tests.
The business emphasised that "AST SpaceMobile runs the first and only mobile broadband network in space that supports multiple users directly using standard, unmodified smartphones." This surpasses comparable constellations of low-Earth orbit satellites that have only enabled text transmission thus far.