- By Supratik Das
- Tue, 27 May 2025 04:39 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a bold move to disrupt the satellite internet market dominated by Elon Musk's Starlink, Abel Avellan's AST SpaceMobile is preparing to connect regular smartphones directly to space without cumbersome hardware or special satellite phones. The Texas-based company has its eyes on bringing smooth internet access to even the most isolated regions of the globe, hoping to close the world's digital divide. While conventional satellite services need fixed-base stations, AST SpaceMobile's technology vows to beam broadband onto ordinary mobile phones without the need for terrestrial cell towers. The firm's founder and CEO, Abel Avellan, explained to Forbes that the idea is to "provide connectivity without disadvantage to wherever people are located."
Fueled By Giant Antennas, Launched On Musk's Falcon 9
Last year in September, AST SpaceMobile made a big leap by launching five satellites onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Each satellite is loaded with a huge 700-square-foot antenna that will deploy in space to provide direct-to-device connectivity. Plans are already underway to upgrade these antennas to 2,400 square feet. to expand these antennas to an even more ambitious 2,400 square feet. This upgrade will allow AST to gain world mobile internet coverage using only 90 satellites, 60 of which are scheduled to be launched by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, SpaceX's Starlink runs a vast constellation of more than 7,100 satellites targeting fixed internet services for consumers and businesses, and Amazon's Project Kuiper is drafting a 3,200-satellite configuration, but neither is targeting smartphone connectivity at this point. Starlink is doing some beta testing with T-Mobile to enable users to send text messages when they are out of range, making a small incursion into the mobile sector. Though its scale is smaller, AST SpaceMobile is creating a niche that Starlink and Kuiper have not yet fully exploited. Starlink's installation fee starts at 350 USD with an 80 USD monthly fee, which is still unaffordable for many in developing countries.
ALSO READ: Starlink Launch In India: Here's How Much Elon Musk's Satellite Internet Could Cost
Targeting 2.6 Billion Unconnected People
AST SpaceMobile views a huge potential among the 2.6 billion individuals globally, mainly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, who suffer without access to affordable internet. Rather than going after off-grid campers or high-end remote access in Europe and North America, AST is targeting bringing underserved communities access to cheap, direct-to-device broadband. In Avellan's view, "The cheapest and most efficient way to connect the world is through phones, not fixed stations."
Although SpaceX previously disregarded AST's technology as a "meme stock" in regulatory documents, the company has consistently expanded, with a current market capitalisation of 8.7 billion USD. While far from Starlink's projected 350 billion USD valuation, AST's targeted approach may disrupt the dominant tech giants in global market.