Last week, Vodafone UK, in partnership with satellite provider AST SpaceMobile, achieved a world first. A video call was made over mobile data from a smartphone in an area with no terrestrial coverage in Wales to Vodafone CEO, Margherita Della Valle, and astronaut Tim Peake at the operator’s headquarters in Newbury.
As we explore in our recent Spotlight report, satellite communication features are beginning to appear on flagship devices like Apple iPhones, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy smartphones. These offerings mainly focus on emergency SOS or basic SMS services using narrowband spectrum from existing constellations.
However, this demonstration takes it a step further. Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile showcased the potential for a new generation of low-Earth-orbit satellites to integrate with and complement traditional mobile networks.
Vodafone didn’t disclose which device was used for the demonstration, but the promise is that this technology, using the operator’s spectrum and network assets, should work seamlessly as an extension of Vodafone’s terrestrial network, like a “cell tower in the sky”. In theory, it would allow any standard 4G or 5G smartphone to connect without requiring specialized hardware.
Notably, this was the first trial of its kind in the UK. So far, most activity in the direct-to-device satellite space has been concentrated in countries with large rural areas like the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But the UK faces its own connectivity challenges. According to Ofcom, “not spots”, or areas with no mobile signal, affect about 9% of the UK.
The successful call was made possible thanks to AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellite, which is designed to connect directly to existing smartphones and Vodafone’s network. This is done with the help of a new satellite ground base station, recently installed at Vodafone’s HQ in Newbury.
In the video below, CCS Insight’s Ben Wood and Vodafone engineer Rowan Chesmer explain how the ground station and satellite technology worked together to make this call possible.
Of course, this was a test call conducted in a controlled environment. There are still significant hurdles to overcome before commercial services can be launched, which Vodafone suggests could happen as early as later this year or in 2026.
One of the biggest challenges lies in AST SpaceMobile’s need to build out its satellite constellation — a costly and high-risk process. Currently, the company has five satellites in orbit, but it estimates that about 96 will be required to provide continuous global coverage. This puts AST SpaceMobile at a disadvantage compared with rivals like SpaceX Starlink, which already has a constellation of just over 300 satellites capable of similar direct-to-smartphone functionalities. In January 2024, Starlink soft-launched an SMS service for some T-Mobile US subscribers.
That said, comparing AST SpaceMobile and Starlink isn’t entirely straightforward. AST SpaceMobile’s satellites are significantly larger, featuring advanced phased-array antennas that can cover wider areas with fewer beams. This difference highlights the unique technical approaches each company is taking to achieve similar goals. Until both services are live, true comparison is difficult.
Regulation also remains a key obstacle. Satellite networks must navigate complex rules across jurisdictions and spectrum users. Ofcom in the UK looks to be supportive, recently granting a test licence to Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation, but the regulatory environment in the US has proven trickier. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has taken a cautious approach, limiting SpaceX Starlink’s capabilities because of concerns with radio emissions limits. So far, the FCC has only allowed AST SpaceMobile to operate under a test licence with AT&T and Verizon.
A crucial unanswered question is the pricing structure of these services. Developing, launching and maintaining satellite constellations is an expensive effort. How Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile plan to recoup these investments remains unclear. Will satellite connectivity be positioned as a premium add-on, or will it be included in mainstream mobile plans?
For now, this trial marks an exciting step forward in satellite connectivity, offering a glimpse of what might be possible in the not-too-distant future. However, the real challenge lies in scaling this technology and ensuring it remains economically viable for operators and consumers.
In the run-up to MWC 2025, we’ll be publishing a comprehensive analysis of the latest news in the satellite market, including soft-launched services by Starlink and T-Mobile US, the Snapdragon Satellite feature on the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, and the next steps for AST SpaceMobile. To hear our expectations for MWC across network innovation, connected devices and operator developments, register for our upcoming webinar.
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