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2h ago

Verizon Strikes Deal With AST SpaceMobile for 2026 Satellite-to-Phone Service

The pact extends Verizon’s 850 MHz coverage through AST’s satellites, signaling a commercialization push that hinges on AST’s rapid network buildout.

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FILE - This April 23, 2018, file photo shows the logo for Verizon above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
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Overview

  • Verizon and AST SpaceMobile signed a definitive commercial agreement to offer space-based cellular broadband across the continental U.S. starting in 2026, with financial terms undisclosed.
  • Verizon will integrate AST’s satellite network with its terrestrial infrastructure to extend its 850 MHz low‑band spectrum, enabling connections on standard smartphones without special hardware.
  • AST SpaceMobile shares jumped after the announcement, with multiple outlets reporting double‑digit gains and Investopedia noting trading at an all‑time high this year.
  • The deal follows earlier partnerships and investments, including Verizon’s prior $100 million commitment and AT&T’s separate revenue‑sharing agreement using 850 MHz spectrum through 2030.
  • AST has five Block 1 BlueBird satellites in orbit for intermittent coverage and plans 45–60 higher‑capacity Block 2 satellites by 2026, while facing execution risks including heavy cash burn and mounting competition from SpaceX’s Starlink with T‑Mobile.