(AST SpaceMobile)
Months after launching into orbit, AST SpaceMobile's first BlueBird satellites have successfully powered a video call between two unmodified smartphones on the ground.
US-based AST tested the technology in the UK with Vodafone, one of its European partners. Vodafone described it as a "historic first space mobile video call" and published a video showing a Vodafone engineer making the video call from a mountainous, remote region of Wales that lacks traditional cell coverage.
The call was made on an unmodified consumer smartphone, which connected to AST's orbiting cluster of five BlueBird satellites, which are designed to act as a cell tower in space.
The BlueBirds then sent the call data to a phone belonging to Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle. Although the video quality is a bit grainy, the satellites successfully relayed the data in real-time despite the call coming from a phone in a cellular dead zone.
Vodafone and AST didn’t reveal much else, like the exact speed of the satellite internet connection. But the news underscores the growing competition between AST and SpaceX, which is developing its own satellite-to-phone technology through the cellular Starlink service.
SpaceX has received FCC clearance to commercially operate the technology for consumers. The system currently spans 400+ satellites, but the cellular Starlink rollout is moving slowly, starting with T-Mobile subscribers who opt into a free beta program.
In contrast, AST still has to launch dozens of additional satellites before it can offer continuous coverage for users on the ground. The company also needs to secure full FCC approval to commercially operate the satellite-to-phone service in the US. So far, AST has only received a temporary license to conduct testing with AT&T in the US and Vodafone in Turkiye and the UK.
But in a win for AST, the Vodafone testing shows that the BlueBirds are already capable of powering a video call. AST also demonstrated this feat with its earlier BlueWalker 3 prototype satellite starting back in 2023.
SpaceX’s cellular Starlink system, on the other hand, is currently restricted to SMS text messaging. However, the company plans on adding support for voice and video calls, along with data downloads, pending regulatory approval. SpaceX’s earlier tests have also shown the technology work on iPhones, Samsung devices, and Pixel phones, achieving download rates of 17Mbps.
As for AST, it's unclear when the company will start its first beta tests in the US with AT&T and its other partner, Verizon. But in the meantime, Vodafone is bullish: “Following further tests this Spring, Vodafone aims to progressively introduce the direct-to-smartphone broadband satellite service commercially in markets across Europe later this year and during 2026 to close the last remaining coverage gaps," it said.
The BlueBird satellites have been designed for peak data transmission speeds of up to 120Mbps, AST adds.