AST SpaceMobile Reports 4G Capabilities from Space

AST SpaceMobile headquarters in Midland, Texas. Photo: AST SpaceMobile

AST SpaceMobile reports that it has demonstrated 4G capabilities from its satellite direct to unmodified cell phones on Earth. The company said Wednesday it demonstrated 10 Mbps download speeds and voice calls in tests in Hawaii. The tests used AT&T spectrum and Nokia RAN technology. 

This is another milestone for the BlueWalker 3 satellite after it successfully made two-way voice calls to unmodified smartphones via satellite earlier this year. The BlueWalker 3 test satellite has a massive 693-square-foot array that is designed to communicate directly with unmodified cell phones using 3GPP standard frequencies. 

“Successfully reaching double-digit download speeds during satellite-to-smartphone testing takes us one step closer to ensuring people across the United States will be able to stay connected no matter their location,” commented Chris Sambar, head of AT&T Network. 

AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan called it a “groundbreaking moment in telecommunications history,” and a step toward the company’s goal of letting customers browse the internet, download files, use messaging apps and stream video outside of cellular networks.