AST SpaceMobile makes history by making the ‘first ever’ 5G satellite call using a smartphone
AST SpaceMobile with the support of AT&T achieves the "first-ever" 5G satellite call by using smartphone.
Highlights
- AST SpaceMobile made history with a 5G call from Hawaii to Madrid via satellite BW3 and AT&T
- AST SpaceMobile's progress from 2G to 4G LTE, achieving speeds of 14Mbps, surpassing the previous 10Mbps record
AST SpaceMobile, a cellular satellite company backed by AT&T, has achieved a groundbreaking feat by establishing the "first-ever" 5G call between an unmodified smartphone and a satellite in space.
Conducted on 8 September 2023, using a Galaxy S22, this historic call originated from a wireless dead zone in Maui, Hawaii, and reached its recipient in Madrid, Spain. This remarkable achievement was made possible by leveraging their low Earth orbit test satellite known as BlueWalker 3 (BW3) and AT&T's 5G spectrum. The successful call was independently verified by Vodafone, Nokia, and AT&T.
AST SpaceMobile advancement
Prior to this milestone, AST SpaceMobile had conducted several tests. In April, they initiated their first space-based phone call using AT&T's 2G network. Subsequently, they transmitted a 4G LTE signal from space that could be received by regular smartphones, boasting download speeds of up to 10 Mbps. Notably, they have surpassed this record by achieving speeds of approximately 14 Mbps in a separate test.
Abel Avellan, CEO of AST SpaceMobile, emphasised the significance of this technological advancement, describing it as a transformative step in accessing information. He noted that since the launch of BW3, their system has achieved compatibility with phones from all major manufacturers, supporting 2G, 4G LTE and 5G connectivity.
While Apple introduced emergency texting via satellite with the iPhone 14 and T-Mobile collaborated with SpaceX's Starlink for satellite connectivity, AST SpaceMobile continues to push the boundaries of space-based phone communications by harnessing the speed of 5G.
The company is set to launch five commercial BlueBird satellites in the first quarter of the upcoming year, further expanding the horizons of space-based telecommunications.
