Taiwan Mobile teams up with AST SpaceMobile to promote direct mobile connection to low Earth orbit satellites, enhancing space-ground integrated communication resilience

Taiwan Mobile announced yesterday (the 2nd) that during the MWC World Mobile Communications Conference, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with American low Earth orbit satellite communication provider AST SpaceMobile for “Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communication Service Strategic Cooperation.” The two parties will promote the coordination of “space-based stations” and existing mobile networks in Taiwan, establish an integrated satellite-ground communication architecture, enhance all-time, all-terrain connectivity, and strengthen communication resilience in disaster and emergency situations.

AST SpaceMobile is the world’s first communication company focused on “standard mobile phone direct satellite connection,” and has received strategic investments from international tech giants like Google. Through this cooperation, Taiwan Mobile will further connect with international telecom and tech ecosystems, promote non-terrestrial network (NTN) deployment, and develop global communication capabilities in sync with top-tier global telecom operators.

No phone modification needed: D2C technology fills coverage gaps

The core of this cooperation is Direct to Cellular (D2C) satellite connection technology. AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit satellites are positioned approximately 500 kilometers or higher above the ground and can directly transmit signals to standard 4G/5G smartphones. This allows users to maintain basic connectivity even in areas without ground station coverage, without needing to replace devices or attach satellite terminals.

Compared to traditional satellite communication that requires specialized equipment and large antennas, D2C technology enables direct access via users’ everyday mobile phones, offering higher convenience and cost efficiency. This technology is especially suitable for remote mountain areas, maritime regions, islands, and situations where ground networks are disrupted by typhoons, earthquakes, or other disasters, becoming a critical backup communication mechanism.

AST SpaceMobile is building the “SpaceMobile” low Earth orbit satellite constellation, with its commercial BlueBird satellites featuring large phased-array antennas. The first batch of Block 1 satellites was launched in 2024. Future Block 2 satellites will carry approximately 2,400 square feet of antenna area and higher bandwidth capabilities to improve coverage time and data transmission efficiency.

B2B2C Model: Satellites help telecom operators fill coverage gaps

AST SpaceMobile adopts a B2B2C business model, not directly providing retail telecom services. Instead, it wholesales satellite capacity to mobile network operators, who then offer it as a value-added service to existing customers, sharing revenue through profit-sharing mechanisms.

The company has already signed cooperation agreements or MoUs with over 45 telecom operators worldwide, including AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, etc., with potential coverage reaching about 2.8 billion users. For telecom providers, satellite networks serve as a supplementary layer in regions where deploying ground stations is economically unfeasible, reducing costs for remote and maritime communications while improving overall network reliability.

Compared to traditional satellite phone providers like Iridium, AST’s positioning is closer to extending mobile broadband, targeting high-value scenarios such as government, defense, maritime, and disaster response.

Taiwan promotes non-terrestrial networks to strengthen national communication resilience

Taiwan Mobile General Manager Lin Chih-chien stated that this cooperation marks a key milestone in the company’s satellite-ground integrated communication strategy. Future plans include expanding into consumer services, enterprise applications, and emergency response scenarios. Taiwan’s terrain includes mountains, valleys, and islands, and is prone to typhoons and earthquakes. Although overall mobile coverage has reached international standards, there is still a need to enhance communication capabilities in special geographic and disaster scenarios. Low Earth orbit satellites can assist in connecting remote areas and transmitting emergency messages, serving as a backup when ground networks are interrupted.

Under this cooperation framework, AST SpaceMobile will provide the technology resources and operational support for low Earth orbit satellite communication systems; Taiwan Mobile will handle ground station construction and operation, local network integration, spectrum coordination, and regulatory communication to facilitate service deployment.

Low Earth orbit satellites become a new competitive arena in telecom: a global market worth trillions of dollars

Headquartered in Texas, USA, AST SpaceMobile was founded in 2017 and is listed on NASDAQ (ticker: ASTS). The company aims to create the world’s first space-based mobile broadband network accessible directly by unmodified phones, targeting approximately 3 billion users worldwide who lack stable mobile broadband services. It expects to begin commercial revenue generation from 2025 onward.

With tech and space giants like Apple, SpaceX, and Amazon investing in non-terrestrial communications, the integration of low Earth orbit satellites and ground networks is becoming a new competitive focus in the global telecom industry. Market research and company estimates suggest that the long-term potential of “mobile phone direct satellite” broadband markets could reach hundreds of billions to trillions of dollars.

The partnership between Taiwan Mobile and AST SpaceMobile also signifies Taiwan’s official entry into the global satellite-ground integrated communication landscape, incorporating satellite mobile broadband into future digital infrastructure, laying the foundation for universal connectivity and national communication resilience.

This article, “Taiwan Mobile Teams Up with AST SpaceMobile to Promote Mobile Direct Low Earth Orbit Satellite Connectivity and Strengthen Satellite-Ground Communication Resilience,” originally appeared on Chain News ABMedia.