Vodafone. Photo: Rama Knight Photographer, via Vodafone Flickr

AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone announced plans for a new European satellite constellation on Nov. 7 to provide direct-to-device (D2D) services. The two companies announced a joint venture earlier this year called SatCo, to provide European mobile network operators with satellite mobile broadband service. 

The companies plan to locate a satellite operators center in Germany in either Munich and Hamburg, and that AST SpaceMobile has filed with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through Germany. 

They said the service would operate in the national spectrum bands of EU MNOs, but also be a candidate for access to the EU 2 GHz mobile satellite services (MSS) band. The European Commission determines the licenses for this band and Viasat and EchoStar’s authorizations expire in May 2027. 

AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone say their mobile broadband service is set to launch in 2026. The companies did not specify a number of satellites for the new constellation, or a target for when it would launch. 

MNOs in 21 EU member states and other European countries have expressed interest in adopting the service. 

“SatCo delivers a sovereign satellite solution to the whole of Europe. It will give European operators access to secure and resilient satellite communications, complementing existing terrestrial telecommunications networks. By establishing a satellite constellation in the EU and our principal command centre in Germany, we are ensuring the next frontier of communications infrastructure is firmly embedded in Europe,” Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle commented.