Initial, intermittent coverage targeted before year-end 2026 in the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia
More than 60 gateways deployed, installed, or in planning worldwide, supporting a global ecosystem of over 60 mobile network operators representing over 3 billion subscribers
Spectrum strategy targets approximately 100 MHz of access in the United States, complemented by global spectrum capabilities
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. ("AST SpaceMobile") (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, today announced it is advancing service readiness in key global markets before the end of 2026, including the United States, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261020527793/en/
"We are moving toward service with the partnerships, spectrum and network capabilities needed to bring cellular broadband from space into people's everyday lives," said Scott Wisnieswki, President of AST SpaceMobile. "Our Bluebird satellites, with the largest communications satellites ever deployed in low Earth orbit, carry capabilities beyond space-based cellular broadband connectivity. We are building a platform that can connect millions of people, help government keep our country safe and resilient, and support emerging applications in AI. That is the scale of the opportunity we are bringing into service."
AST SpaceMobile now has more than 60 gateways deployed, installed, or in planning worldwide. The expansive ground network supports AST SpaceMobile's global commercial ecosystem with over 60 mobile network operators who cover over 3 billion subscribers, bringing a third layer of connectivity directly into the mobile networks people already use.
AST SpaceMobile has strategic partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten Mobile, Bell Canada, TELUS, and stc Group. These relationships provide a direct path to market through partners' existing mobile services, enabling operators to extend coverage and offer new connectivity options to their subscribers.
Spectrum is a key component of this readiness. AST SpaceMobile combines strategic partner operators' spectrum with access to mobile satellite services (MSS) spectrum, targeting approximately 100 MHz of access in the United States. Its spectrum position includes access to 45 MHz of MSS mid-band spectrum in North America and priority rights to 60 MHz of S-band spectrum globally on a market-by-market basis.
The company's satellite technology can tune across approximately 1,150 MHz of low- and mid-band frequencies globally, providing flexibility to serve different markets using available partner and satellite spectrum, subject to applicable regulatory approvals.
Supporting this service rollout, AST SpaceMobile's ground network connects the company's growing satellite constellation with mobile operators' core networks, routing voice, video and broadband data between space and ground-based infrastructure, making it a key component of the end-to-end infrastructure required to deliver space-based cellular broadband connectivity through partners to people everywhere they work, live, and travel. This integration enables operators to extend their reach beyond the limits of terrestrial coverage while evolving alongside future 3GPP standards.
In the United States, the Company has already enabled over 3,000 coverage cells and expects to activate the roughly 5,600 cellular cells that cover the continuous United States before year-end. Enabling the remaining digital cells will establish the geographic footprint required to support initial, intermittent service across the contiguous United States and is a prerequisite for nationwide rollout.
During this initial phase, service will be available within the satellites' coverage area. Additional spacecraft deployments will extend the duration and frequency of coverage as AST SpaceMobile advances toward continuous service.
BlueBird satellites are assembled, integrated, and tested at AST SpaceMobile's facilities in Midland, Texas, with production now progressing through BlueBird 50. AST SpaceMobile now operates over 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and operations facilities worldwide, supported by a 2,250+ workforce, and a technology platform backed by over 3,900 patent and patent-pending claims.
Service availability will expand as satellite capacity and ground infrastructure are deployed and network integration progresses, subject to applicable authorizations.
About AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio, and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to enable 4G and 5G space-based cellular broadband to every device, everywhere, for today's nearly 6 billion mobile subscribers globally. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on YouTube, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook. Watch this video for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains "forward-looking statements" that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially from those expected and projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "may," "will," "would," "potential," "projects," "predicts," "continue," or "should," or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside AST SpaceMobile's control and are difficult to predict.
Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i) expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile's strategies and future financial performance, including AST's future business plans or objectives, expected functionality of the SpaceMobile Service, anticipated timing of the launch of the Block 2 BlueBird satellites, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile satellite services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, ability to finance its research and development activities, commercial partnership acquisition and retention, products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash, capital expenditures, and AST SpaceMobile's ability to invest in growth initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements with mobile network operators relating to the SpaceMobile Service that would supersede preliminary agreements and memoranda of understanding and the ability to enter into commercial agreements with other parties or government entities; (iii) the ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees and AST SpaceMobile's responses to actions of its competitors and its ability to effectively compete; (iv) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (v) the possibility that AST SpaceMobile may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vi) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against AST SpaceMobile; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including those in the Risk Factors section of AST SpaceMobile's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 2, 2026, its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 11, 2026, its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2026 filed with the SEC on August 10, 2026 and the future reports that it may file from time to time with the SEC.
AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors in AST SpaceMobile's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 2, 2026, its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2026 filed with the SEC on May 11, 2026, its Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2026 filed with the SEC on August 10, 2026 and the future reports that it may file from time to time with the SEC. AST SpaceMobile's securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261020527793/en/
Contacts:
Investor Contact:
Scott Wisniewski
investors@ast-science.com
Media Contact:
Allison Worldwide
AstSpaceMobile@allisonpr.com
