Particle.news
Download on the App Store
3 ARTICLES
·
2h ago

Bell Sets 2026 Rollout for Direct-to-Cell Service With AST SpaceMobile

Successful smartphone tests underpin the plan, with launch timing dependent on spectrum changes plus new satellites.

Bell Canada signage is pictured on a building in Ottawa on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Image

Overview

  • Bell says customer trials and an initial rollout will begin in 2026, moving space-based voice, text, video and broadband toward public availability.
  • Bell and AST reported VoLTE calls, video streaming, SMS and data sessions on unmodified smartphones during summer tests in New Brunswick, including on Samsung Galaxy devices.
  • Commercial availability requires Canadian regulatory approval to repurpose Bell’s spectrum licences and additional AST low‑Earth‑orbit satellite launches.
  • Traffic will route through Bell’s domestic gateways to keep data in Canada, with projected coverage exceeding 5.7 million square kilometres across northern and offshore areas.
  • Rogers already offers a $15-per-month text-only satellite service using Starlink and plans to add data and voice, as Starlink pursues broader mobile capabilities.