Its satellite service, provided by Starlink rival AST SpaceMobile, works with any 4G or 5G phone and should roll out this year.
Vodafone has made what it calls “the world’s first” satellite video call using a standard smartphone, in a test of a system it says will provide mobile broadband service to 4G and 5G phones without dedicated satellite hardware. The service, using satellites from SpaceX rival AST SpaceMobile, is expected to launch in Europe before the end of 2025. AT&T and Verizon have also cut deals with Texas-based AST SpaceMobile to provide satellite-to-smartphone services across the US.
Vodafone sees it as a “complementary” technology that can plug the gaps in its existing mobile network, covering remote areas including mountains and out at sea. The direct-to-smartphone satellite service is expected to “close the last remaining coverage gaps” in Europe in 2026. AST SpaceMobile’s satellite system connects using standard 4G and 5G signals, so there’s no requirement to use a phone with dedicated satellite components.