Vodafone ties up with SpaceX rival AST SpaceMobile

Vodafone Idea (Vi) and AST SpaceMobile, a rival of Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, have announced a strategic partnership to offer satellite-based broadband services to smartphones directly.

Under the collaboration, AST SpaceMobile’s satellite-based system will be integrated with Vi’s existing national infrastructure, a company statement said.

The system will support voice, video, data streaming, and internet services without requiring any modifications to users’ smartphones.

AST SpaceMobile said in the statement that it will manage the satellite network’s development and operation, while Vi will focus on integrating the service with its terrestrial network and handling spectrum and market access.

“As satellite-based mobile access becomes a reality in India, we are looking forward to ushering in a new era of seamless and resilient connectivity,” said Avneesh Khosla, chief marketing officer (CMO) at Vi.

“India, with its vast and dynamic telecom market, is the ideal place to demonstrate how our space-based cellular broadband can seamlessly complement terrestrial networks,” said Chris Ivory, chief commercial officer (CCO), AST SpaceMobile. “We are excited to unlock new possibilities for emergency response, disaster management, agriculture, remote learning, and countless other applications.”

The partnership also includes plans to develop commercial solutions for sectors such as enterprise, consumer, and IoT.