Behind the scenes of Verizon’s Satellite-to-Cell commercial with Buzz Aldrin and Paul Marcarelli. Photo: Verizon

Verizon’s latest commercial, featuring astronaut Buzz Aldrin, highlighted the company’s work with satellite technology to eliminate cellular “dead zones.” The ad emphasized Verizon’s satellite capabilities as a solution for remote areas where traditional cellular coverage is lacking. The commercial aired on Feb. 2 during the Grammy Awards.

In the commercial, Aldrin, and Verizon’s original “Test Man” Paul Marcarelli, showcased Verizon’s satellite-powered connectivity in remote locations. In the commercial, Aldrin and Marcarelli travel to remote areas — and even to space — planting a “satellite powered” flag and reviving the “Can you hear me now?” campaign to: “Can you text me now?”

Aldrin reflected on the progress of technology in a Verizon release. “Fifty-six years ago, I was one of the select few that made it into space and the first team to help America conquer the moon. Back then, space was the great unknown, and now we’ve never been closer to it.”

Verizon’s first move in satellite-to-cell connectivity was a $100 million deal with AST SpaceMobile in May 2024. Then in August of 2024, Verizon announced a deal with Skylo to launch a commercial direct-to-device messaging service. Additionally, the FCC recently granted Verizon and AST SpaceMobile special temporal authority (STA) in the United States to provide satellite-to-cell service.

Verizon said it is focused on providing reliable network experiences through satellite and terrestrial telecommunications convergence. In addition to direct-to-device, Verizon uses almost 300 portable satellite network assets to maintain connectivity in areas where fiber cables are unavailable in emergency situations for first responders.