Space-based telecommunications aren’t exactly new. But while previous endeavors have had companies like Nokia mulling over 4G connections on the moon, a recent breakthrough puts terrestrial 5G connectivity quite literally in the stratosphere.AST SpaceMobile, in collaboration with AT&T, is hyping up a noteworthy achievement in telecommunications. Together, the two companies successfully established the world’s first 5G connection for voice and data between an everyday, unmodified smartphone and a satellite in space.
The groundbreaking link was achieved using the BlueWalker 3 test satellite, and made possible through the joint endeavors of Vodafone, AT&T, and Nokia. To paint a clearer picture, this was no mere test run — a genuine Earth-to-space 5G call was activated on July 07, 2025. This call was made using a Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone, positioned near Hana, Hawaii, a place infamous for its lack of wireless signals.
In a subsequent assessment, AST SpaceMobile shattered its previous space-based cellular broadband data session record, registering a download rate nearing 14 Mbps. This leap from their earlier achievement of 10.3 Mbps is not merely about numbers: it underscores the capacity to facilitate satellite-based internet browsing, file downloads, messaging app utilization, video streaming, and more, right from an everyday smartphone.
This ground-breaking initiative isn’t an isolated incident, but rather part of AST SpaceMobile’s expansive testing program. Since June, the firm has been working alongside its partners, accomplishing feats like additional voice calls and even a 4G video call with AT&T.
Looking towards the horizon, AST SpaceMobile has plans already in motion. The technologies the company has patented and tested are expected to underpin its upcoming commercial satellites. The company anticipates launching the first batch of these, a series of five, in the first quarter of 2024.
As reported byBusinessWire, Abel Avellan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AST SpaceMobile, said that “Making the first successful 5G cellular broadband connections from space directly to mobile phones is yet another significant advancement in telecommunications AST SpaceMobile has pioneered. We are more confident than ever that space-based cellular broadband can help transform internet connectivity across the globe by filling in gaps and connecting the unconnected.”
Evidently, the commitment to bridging global connectivity gaps is resonating among industry leaders. Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group Chief Executive, echoed similar sentiments, expressing excitement about the forefront of space technology and its potential to bring about radical change. In essence, the future of telecommunications is expanding beyond the confines of our atmosphere. With companies like AST SpaceMobile and AT&T at the helm, the next era might just see a world where connectivity knows no terrestrial boundaries.
