AST SpaceMobile establishes first-ever cellular network in space

April 26, 2023

AST SpaceMobile has made significant progress in establishing the first-ever cellular network in space by establishing a two-way connection via satellite link between Midland, Texas and Rakuten, Japan, using a Samsung Galaxy S22 handset and AT&T radio spectrum.

To do this, AST SpaceMobile used a low-orbit communication satellite known as the BlueWalker 3 (BW3) satellite, as well as engineers from Vodafone, Rakuten, and AT&T to design and test the BW3 system.

AST SpaceMobile intends to give its customers with the capacity to make phone calls, send text messages, and other types of communication, regardless of where they are situated, by merging their unique system and structure with normal cellphones.

Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO of AST SpaceMobile remarked that, “By achieving what was once thought impossible, we have accomplished the most important milestone so far in our mission to provide worldwide cellular broadband from space.”

Although the future of AST SpaceMobile remains unknown, the successful completion of this test is a step forward toward a more reliable communication experience for everybody.

The sources for this piece include an article in ZDNET.

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Jim Love

Jim is an author and podcast host with over 40 years in technology.

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