{"id":841,"date":"2026-04-21T23:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T23:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hyokal.com\/?p=841"},"modified":"2026-04-21T23:03:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T23:03:00","slug":"ast-spacemobile-secures-fcc-approval-to-compete-with-starlink-mobile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hyokal.com\/?p=841","title":{"rendered":"AST SpaceMobile secures FCC approval to compete with Starlink Mobile"},"content":{"rendered":"

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AST SpaceMobile has received the green light to operate a satellite phone service in the United States, setting the company up to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile. <\/p>\n

AST won approval from the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday to operate its entire constellation of 248 satellites and provide “supplemental coverage from space,” including outside the United States. <\/p>\n

“This action allows AST to dramatically improve its service in the United States and globally,” the FCC said, noting that the company could use satellite technology to provide connectivity to consumer devices in cell phone dead zones.<\/p>\n

The good news for AST comes after the company suffered a downturn on Sunday when its Blue Origin rocket failed to deliver one of its Bluebird satellites to the correct orbit, causing the satellite to be lost and appears to have burned up in the atmosphere. <\/p>\n

Like Starlink Mobile, AST’s goal is to bring high-speed broadband, including video calling capabilities, to smartphones in dead zones. The company’s satellites are distinguished by very large antennas. Each BlueBird promises to operate as an orbiting base station capable of delivering voice, data, and video to unmodified smartphones on the ground. <\/p>\n

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\n (AST Space Mobile)<\/small>\n<\/p>\n

Back in 2024, the FCC only authorized AST SpaceMobile to operate its first five BlueBird satellites, delaying the company’s request to provide satellite-to-phone service. Tuesday’s decision paves the way for AST to provide real-world services to consumers and launch the remaining proposed satellite constellations into various low-Earth orbits around 530 kilometers altitude. <\/p>\n

Additionally, AST is also authorized to provide cellular service from space using the radio spectrum of two major partners: AT&T and Verizon. However, the grant covers only the low band from 698MHz to 960MHz, not the mid-band spectrum that AST acquired last year. <\/p>\n

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The FCC is also allowing AST to use the 430-440 MHz radio band as an emergency measure to control and track satellites, despite objections about interference from the amateur “ham” radio community. That said, the FCC has imposed certain conditions, including that AST may only use the 430.5 MHz, 432.3 MHz, 434.1 MHz, 435.9 MHz, and 439.5 MHz bands, but only for periods of less than 24 hours for emergency telemetry and tracking operations.<\/p>\n

The FCC determined that “the AST has demonstrated that the likelihood of harmful interference from its transmissions to other licensed operations, including amateur operations, in the 430-440 MHz band is extremely remote, and if such interference occurs, the AST may cease such transmissions.” <\/p>\n

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The commission also said, “We continue to receive no complaints of harmful interference with AST’s already authorized operations in the 430-440 MHz band.” The radio band represents a fallback if the company also has permission to use the 2000MHz band for satellite tracking and telemetry. <\/p>\n

The FCC issued this approval even as it also raised concerns about potential interference and satellite collision risks through T-Mobile and SpaceX. The news comes as competition to provide satellite-to-phone services intensifies. Earlier this month, Amazon announced it would spend more than $11 billion to acquire Apple partner Globalstar to provide satellite connectivity for smartphones. Meanwhile, SpaceX is laying the groundwork for a major Starlink Mobile upgrade. Starlink Mobile is currently available through T-Mobile, but has limited bandwidth. <\/p>\n

The main challenge facing AST is launching the required satellites. Currently, the company only has a total of six BlueBird satellites in orbit, including the company’s original test satellite, BlueWalker 3. The company needs 45 to 60 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026 to provide reliable coverage in the United States. But Sunday’s failure to deploy Bluebird 7 could raise questions about whether it will be able to provide commercial service later this year. <\/p>\n

In response to the Blue Origin setback, AST said it has already manufactured Bluebird 32 and that it expects “Bluebirds 8 through 10 to be ready for shipment within approximately 30 days” prior to launch. Still, the company originally envisioned “four more orbital launches by the end of the first quarter of 2026,” but nothing materialized until Sunday’s Blue Origin launch. <\/p>\n

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michael kang<\/p>\n

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experience<\/p>\n

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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I started as a schools and city reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, covering satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent more than five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.<\/p>\n

Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing more than 600 articles on its availability and feature announcements, as well as regulatory battles over expanding its fleet, battles with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and efforts to expand into satellite-based mobile services. I scoured FCC filings for the latest news and drove to remote parts of California to test Starlink’s cell phone service. <\/p>\n

We also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. As my co-authored article revealed, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million in 2024 and 2025 for secretly collecting and selling personal information to third-party customers. investigation<\/u> Comes with motherboard.<\/p>\n

We also cover the PC graphics card market. Due to pandemic-era shortages, I camped out in front of Best Buy to pick up an RTX 3000. I’m currently following how the AI-driven memory crunch is impacting the overall consumer electronics market. I’m always interested in learning more, so please send me your feedback and tips in the comments section.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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