Starlink competitor AST SpaceMobile plans orbital launch for next week

AST SpaceMobile is moving forward with its plan to launch a space-based mobile communications network, aiming to turn standard smartphones into satellite phones without additional hardware. The company's five commercial satellites, called BlueBird, are scheduled to launch on September 12 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. These satellites are equipped with communications arrays that can provide smartphones with voice, data, and video speeds similar to a broadband tower. Once in orbit, the BlueBird network will offer non-continuous cellular broadband service across the United States and select markets globally. This network will allow unmodified mobile phones to act as satellite phones, providing communication options in areas with limited broadband tower coverage, such as rural communities or national parks. Initially, the BlueBird network will focus on serving beta test customers from the AT&T and Verizon networks. AST SpaceMobile has a deal with AT&T to offer satellite communication to its customers, and the company has successfully completed a two-way voice call over its satellites in April 2023 and a 4G data download test in June 2023. The launch of the BlueBird satellites marks a significant step towards achieving AST SpaceMobile's goal of providing space-based mobile communications.