AT&T and AST SpaceMobile have entered into a definitive agreement, extending until 2030, to provide their first full space-based broadband network directly to device (mobile phones). Meanwhile, Starlink has officially launched its commercial satellite-based internet service in Indonesia. It has also received approvals to offer the service in Malaysia and the Philippines.
The telco-satellite market has seen growing industry-wide momentum over the last two years, underpinned by the integration of non-terrestrial networks in 5G New Radio in 3GPP Release 17. According to GSMA Intelligence, 91 individual operators representing approximately 5 billion connections globally (60% of the total mobile market) have formed partnerships with satellite operators. While the regulatory landscape and policy will determine how the commercial launch of these services plays out across different regions, the primary goal is to build ubiquitous connectivity through a combination of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.