Branded SpaceMobile, the low-latency satellite network from AST & Science will be the first in the world to connect directly to standard smartphones. The company holds a patent and IP portfolio for its ground and space technologies. It has successfully tested its SpaceMobile technology aboard the BlueWalker 1 satellite, launched in April 2019, and has been further validating the technology following that initial flight, the online publication added.
AST & Science will initially offer 4G services to partner networks globally, with 5G delivered in the future. The SpaceMobile network will enable roaming to and from terrestrial cellular networks at comparable data rates without the need for specialised satellite hardware.
In addition to its investment in AST & Science, Vodafone has agreed to a strategic partnership and will contribute technical, operational and regulatory expertise in support of the global deployment of SpaceMobile.
In recent news, Japan’s Rakuten announced plans to set its big data mobile plan at 2,980 yen (USD 27.68) per month, or less than half of major rivals’ offerings, the Nikkei business daily reported for Reuters.
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