– AT&T has entered into a commercial agreement with AST SpaceMobile to provide satellite connectivity to phones.
– This will allow AT&T subscribers to use their regular smartphones to make calls, send texts and access the internet even in remote areas without cellular coverage, through satellites in orbit.
– AST SpaceMobile will launch its first 5 commercial satellites this summer to enable AT&T to start rolling out this satellite phone service.
– The satellites will act as cell towers in space, allowing connectivity as long as a phone is in view of a satellite, even in places like forests or mountains without towers.
– It’s not clear yet when exactly AT&T will launch the service commercially or if there will be an additional charge for the satellite capability.
– This deal comes as T-Mobile and SpaceX are also working on a similar satellite-to-phone service to offer connectivity anywhere using smartphones.
Source: Engadget
