Starlink rival AST SpaceMobile has revealed more details about how it could charge users to access its cellular satellite service, which is slated to roll out for AT&T and Verizon customers. 

In an updated investor presentation first spotted by Reddit users, AST SpaceMobile says it plans to offer satellite connectivity as a monthly add-on and through a "day pass" system, which consumers can opt into whenever needed. 

Customers would be notified about the day-pass option the moment their phone traveled outside a carrier’s ground-based network, according to the presentation. "Subscribers receive a text on their phone asking if they would like to turn on SpaceMobile service," the company says.

(Credit: AST SpaceMobile)

If the consumer says yes to the text message, their cellular provider will connect to AST SpaceMobile’s orbiting satellites, which are designed to act like traditional cell towers but in space. Users could then text message, place video calls, and browse the web at download speeds reaching 20Mbps or higher despite being in a cellular dead zone. 

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(Credit: AST SpaceMobile)

The presentation offers a glimpse at AST SpaceMobile’s business model, which will also target enterprise users and companies that need satellite connectivity for their electronic devices, such as sensors in farming equipment.  

There’s no word on how much the Texas-based startup plans on charging for cellular satellite access. But the company might need to keep the fee low, considering a recent survey found that 40% of users don’t plan on paying more for cellular satellite connectivity. Another 30% would only consider paying up to 5% extra on their phone bill.

In the meantime, AST SpaceMobile has begun unfurling its first five production BlueBird satellites, which launched into space in September. The startup then plans on kicking off the first beta tests, possibly as soon as December. But AST SpaceMobile will need to launch dozens of additional satellites before the company’s constellation can achieve robust coverage for the US.