Groundbreaking 2026 rollout aims to connect smartphones directly to satellites for seamless nationwide coverage
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS), the company developing the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by standard smartphones, announced a landmark commercial agreement with Verizon (VZ) to bring satellite connectivity to Verizon customers beginning in 2026.
The collaboration will integrate AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network with Verizon’s award-winning terrestrial infrastructure, providing service continuity in areas where traditional coverage is limited or unavailable. Using Verizon’s premium 850 MHz spectrum, the partnership aims to extend high-speed mobile broadband access from city centers to the most remote hiking trails, ensuring users stay connected wherever they are.
“This definitive agreement with Verizon brings us closer to delivering space-based cellular broadband coverage across the continental United States,” said Abel Avellan, founder, chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “By leveraging Verizon’s low-band spectrum, we can reach areas that stand to benefit most from the ubiquitous connectivity our technology enables.”
AST SpaceMobile’s network features the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in LEO and can connect directly to unmodified smartphones. The system operates across multiple spectrums, including the company’s licensed L-band and S-band, and up to 1,150 MHz of low- and mid-band spectrum from its global mobile network partners.
The partnership follows a series of successful tests, including clear voice and video calls between unmodified smartphones on Verizon’s network using AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellite.
“This partnership marks a new era in connectivity,” said Srini Kalapala, Verizon’s Senior Vice President of Technology and Product Development. “By merging our robust terrestrial network with AST SpaceMobile’s satellite technology, we’re creating a future where coverage truly knows no boundaries.”
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