First dedicated D2C satellites (BlueBird)
2024-09AST SpaceMobile
AST SpaceMobile orbited its first commercial BlueBird satellites — the largest commercial arrays ever flown, purpose-built for broadband direct to phones.
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AST SpaceMobile
Profile
Satellite firm connecting directly to ordinary phones; flies large BlueBird satellites, partnered with AT&T and Verizon.
Editorial profile — compiled by us from public sources.
- Founded
- 2017
- Headquarters
- Midland, TX, US
Current standings
Standings and milestones are always verified by us against primary sources, regardless of who manages the profile.
Roadmap & milestones
First commercial direct-to-cell service outside the US
2026-08AST SpaceMobile / Rakuten Mobile (Japan)
AST SpaceMobile notified the FCC on 4 Aug 2026 that it had started direct-to-cell operations in Japan with Rakuten Mobile — its first commercial service activation outside the United States. Every Japanese authorization is in hand, including a user-equipment licence from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, after Japan cleared low-Earth-orbit satellites in June to link standard phones over the 700 MHz band. The BlueBird arrays connect unmodified 4G and 5G handsets with no added hardware.
