Vodafone Idea (Vi) has signed a strategic alliance with AST SpaceMobile, a US-based company, to launch satellite-based mobile services directly on smartphones in India. The partners hope that the combination of AST SpaceMobile's space-based cellular network and Vi's terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure will enable them to expand coverage in rural and previously unconnected areas. Vi has not revealed a specific launch date for the service, but assured that it will provide updates in the future.
AST SpaceMobile is developing the first cellular broadband network in space, accessible through standard smartphones, without the need for installations or applications. Among the test calls that the company has successfully carried out using this technology are the first space-based 4G call and a 5G voice call. This collaboration involves the national telecom infrastructure of Vi, combined with the satellite network of AST SpaceMobile, to deliver voice, video, and data streaming to regions lacking traditional tower connections.
The satellite constellation will be developed and operated under AST SpaceMobile's agreement. Vi will control spectrum utilization, terrestrial network combination, and access to the Indian market. This framework will build an uninterrupted space ecosystem that accommodates consumer mobile services as well as enterprise and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
Chris Ivory, the Chief Commercial Officer of AST SpaceMobile, emphasized that the Indian telecom environment is a perfect setting for embracing cellular broadband on satellites. The alliance aims to complement conventional infrastructure and increase communication by overcoming coverage boundaries. By delivering the service to underserved areas, Vi will expand its voice and data services to areas with limited ground network coverage.
The direct competitor of AST SpaceMobile is the SpaceX Starlink Internet service, which is actively working on connecting satellites with smartphones. Starlink has already struck deals with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, and has recently received clearance from the telecom department for its satellite internet services in India.
Trai has been advocating the use of an administrative process to allocate the spectrum used in satellite communications, which is against the interests of some telecom operators. The Telecommunications Act 2023 enables the offering of point-to-point satellite communication services with preset payments used to allocate any spectrum, which has affected the position of such emerging satellite services in the Indian market.