AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS) saw its stock surge 5.05% on Tuesday, following the announcement of a long-term partnership with Vodafone Group Plc (VOD), a leading European telecommunications company. The agreement, which extends through 2034, will allow Vodafone to provide space-based cellular broadband services worldwide by utilizing ASTS's innovative satellite technology.
Under the partnership terms, Vodafone has placed an order for ASTS's BlueBird gateway, a crucial component for deploying the company's global network infrastructure. The BlueBird satellites, featuring the largest-ever commercial communications arrays spanning over 693 square feet, will be deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO) to offer non-continuous service using over 5,600 cells within the premium low-band spectrum.
ASTS's patented technology, backed by over 3,450 patents and patent-pending claims, is designed to allow users in remote or underserved regions to connect directly to the LEO satellites using everyday smartphones. The data will be routed through Vodafone's existing network infrastructure, enabling seamless access to internet services, apps, and data, even in areas traditionally outside the reach of cellular towers. This partnership paves the way for the launch of ASTS's next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellites, which will provide up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity and peak data transmission speeds of up to 120 Mbps.
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