RCS - Vodafone Group Plc - Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile announcement

VodafoneAnnouncement

07/11/2025 07:00

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RNS Number : 5854G  Vodafone Group Plc  07 November 2025

 

7 NOVEMBER 2025
Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile Announce New EU Satellite Constellation and
Select Germany for European Sovereign Satellite Operations Centre

·    Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile select Germany for Satellite Operations
Centre to further strengthen Europe's digital sovereignty.

·    Move follows establishment of Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile
Luxembourg-headquartered satellite joint venture, SatCo.

·    Planned EU constellation to be equipped with a "command switch" to
provide European oversight and security.

·    AST SpaceMobile filed with the International Telecommunications Union
(ITU) through Germany for registration of a new mid-band satellite
constellation.

 

 

Vodafone Group and AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS) have selected Germany
as the location for their main Satellite Operations Centre. The centre will
allocate, and map satellite connectivity used by SatCo to serve mobile network
operators (MNOs) across Europe to ensure ubiquitous mobile broadband in
underserved areas and support emergency services and disaster relief agencies.
It will be located near either Munich or Hannover, depending on final
negotiations with all relevant parties.

 

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband
network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both
commercial and government applications. SatCo aims to provide a scalable
European satellite mobile broadband service for use by MNOs to benefit all
European citizens, businesses and public sector organisations. MNOs in 21
European Union (EU) member states and other European countries have expressed
interest in adopting the service, with commercial launch planned to commence
from 2026.

 

The planned EU constellation will include a comprehensive 'command switch'
feature to support European oversight and security. This capability supports
updating all telemetry, tracking, and control (TTC) encryption keys for both
S-Band (used to connect smartphones from space) and Q/V-Band (used for links
between satellites and earth stations). It also allows for the modification of
service encryption keys for communications across the continent, as well as
manages the activation, deactivation, and direction of satellite beams in
Europe.

 

In addition to commercial mobile broadband, the constellation will support
public protection and disaster relief efforts (PPDR). It does this by
providing reliable, broadband-speed connectivity from space directly to the
everyday smartphones and other cellular devices of emergency responders, even
in the most dangerous and challenging environments.

 

 

Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone, said: "SatCo delivers a sovereign
satellite solution to the whole of Europe. It will give European operators
access to secure and resilient satellite communications, complementing
existing terrestrial telecommunications networks. By establishing a satellite
constellation in the EU and our principal command centre in Germany, we are
ensuring the next frontier of communications infrastructure is firmly embedded
in Europe."

 

"Together with Vodafone, we are accelerating the arrival of true mobile
broadband from space across Europe," said Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman and
CEO of AST SpaceMobile.

"Germany's Operations Centre will be the operations hub for our BlueBird
constellation in Europe, enabling us to serve millions of users. Alongside our
gateways, we are building a robust, secure infrastructure that ensures Europe
stays connected with seamless mobile broadband, always."

 

The planned satellite constellation can also contribute to the development of
a pan-European mobile broadband system, enhancing the communication and
coordination of emergency services during crises and disasters, in line with
the EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS) vision. In particular, the
satellites will support frequency bands that are suitable for PPDR radio
communications, subject to national decisions and deployment choices.

 

While many functions are automated, specialist engineers at the Operations
Centre will monitor and respond to extraterrestrial events such as solar
flares, as well as manage issues that arise on Earth. It will also house one
of a network of SatCo ground-based gateway stations across Europe. These
gateways provide secure backhaul links between the satellite constellation and
terrestrial 4G/5G networks, enabling users to switch automatically between
space-based and land-based coverage for uninterrupted, resilient connectivity.

 

AST SpaceMobile has submitted through Germany the appropriate filings with the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialised agency of the
United Nations. This will help manage and mitigate any signal interference and
ensure the smooth integration with existing mobile telecoms networks.

 

Germany's strategically central location provides SatCo with the ideal
foundation to complement terrestrial networks, supporting the need to keep
users across Europe remain securely connected anytime, anywhere. In addition
to providing service to all EU MNOs using their national spectrum bands, SatCo
is a candidate for access to the EU 2GHz Mobile Satellite Services (MSS)
spectrum. If secured, this would enable existing MNOs to distribute a fully
pan-European, sovereign, space-based broadband service directly to their
customers. The aforementioned PPDR frequency bands (698-703/753-758 MHz and
733-736/788-791 MHz) would be used to support this capability.

 ENDS 

Notes to Editors
Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile's joint efforts have already led to a series of
groundbreaking achievements in direct-to-device connectivity with everyday
smartphones, including:

 

·    The world's first space-based video call to an unmodified phone in
Europe

·    The world's first space-based 4G and 5G calls using unmodified phones

·    Download speeds of over 20 Mbps to unmodified phones on a 5 MHz
channel

 

AST SpaceMobile has agreements with over 50 mobile network operators with
nearly 3 billion subscribers globally. Its technology, backed by over 3,700
patent and patent-pending claims, is designed to support both government and
commercial customers. The company is based in Midland, Texas with 95%
vertically integrated manufacturing of state-of-the-art facilities. The
next-generation Block 2 BlueBirds featuring up to 2,400 square foot
communications arrays, are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth
capacity of the BlueBird satellites in orbit today, enabling peak data
transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data, and video
applications.

 

Contact details

 Media Relations:                                                 Investor Relations:                                       Registered Office:

 Vodafone.com/media/contact (http://vodafone.com/media/contact)   investors.vodafone.com (https://investors.vodafone.com)   Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2FN, England.

                                                         Registered in England No. 1833679
 GroupMedia@vodafone.com (mailto:GroupMedia@vodafone.com)         ir@vodafone.co.uk (mailto:ir@vodafone.co.uk)

 

About Vodafone

Vodafone is a leading European and African telecoms company.

We serve over 355 million mobile and broadband customers, operating networks
in 15 countries with investments in a further five and partners in over 40
more. Our undersea cables transport around a sixth of the world's internet
traffic, and we are developing a new direct-to-mobile satellite communications
service to connect areas without coverage. Vodafone runs one of the world's
largest IoT platforms, with 215 million IoT connections globally, and we
provide financial services to around 92 million customers across seven African
countries - managing more transactions than any other provider.

From the seabed to the stars, Vodafone's purpose is to keep everyone
connected.

For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com
(https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vodafone.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CSimon.Gordon%40vodafone.com%7C8cabbb744e034309a2fd08de00341740%7C68283f3b84874c86adb3a5228f18b893%7C0%7C0%7C638948420960182990%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aWvshYWwvogPepDTV7EvT2FnhLyqXjpznR4SLZy29Tg%3D&reserved=0)
follow us on X at @VodafoneGroup or connect with us on LinkedIn at
www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone.
(https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fvodafone.&data=05%7C02%7CSimon.Gordon%40vodafone.com%7C8cabbb744e034309a2fd08de00341740%7C68283f3b84874c86adb3a5228f18b893%7C0%7C0%7C638948420960237934%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5bopXnwcI%2F%2B8eqzAIjXVJ4oPvIPScc4tPP7fMrS11Ls%3D&reserved=0)

 

About AST SpaceMobile

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband
network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices
based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio, and designed for both
commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are
on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today's five billion
mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain
unconnected. For more information, follow AST SpaceMobile on YouTube
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDr2JePebZFY-vwQaZueftg) , X (Formerly
Twitter) (https://twitter.com/AST_SpaceMobile) , LinkedIn
(https://www.linkedin.com/authwall?trk=bf&trkInfo=AQHKqM4IojiV3gAAAYct9c_ozRwv13-eVjLgh1BhGTNXnjdhcPOM12k9tJTT3SiaDeJ9Uw55CTWOvOxo1Gv97tcPXJ-TNk2ZdYJe_E7E93RPl60HxEJOQdnFqVRCxenRTvAzKsg=&original_referer=&sessionRedirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fast-spacemobile%2F)
and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ASTSpaceMobile) . Watch this video
(https://youtu.be/GO9-SBCq8oY) for an overview of the SpaceMobile mission.

 

Investor Contact:

Scott Wisniewski

investors@ast-science.com

 

Media Contacts:

Allison

Eva Murphy Ryan

917-547-7289

AstSpaceMobile@allisonpr.com (mailto:AstSpaceMobile@allisonpr.com)

 

Forward Looking Statements

This communication contains "forward-looking statements" that are not
historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results of AST SpaceMobile to differ materially from those expected and
projected. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes," "estimates,"
"anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "may," "will," "would,"
"potential," "projects," "predicts," "continue," or "should," or, in each
case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology.

 

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties
that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected
results. Most of these factors are outside AST SpaceMobile's control and are
difficult to predict.

 

Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (i)
expectations regarding AST SpaceMobile's strategies and future financial
performance, including AST's future business plans or objectives, expected
functionality of the SpaceMobile Service, anticipated timing of the launch of
the Block 2 BlueBird satellites, anticipated demand and acceptance of mobile
satellite services, prospective performance and commercial opportunities and
competitors, the timing of obtaining regulatory approvals, ability to finance
its research and development activities, commercial partnership acquisition
and retention, products and services, pricing, marketing plans, operating
expenses, market trends, revenues, liquidity, cash flows and uses of cash,
capital expenditures, and AST SpaceMobile's ability to invest in growth
initiatives; (ii) the negotiation of definitive agreements with mobile network
operators relating to the SpaceMobile Service that would supersede preliminary
agreements and memoranda of understanding and the ability to enter into
commercial agreements with other parties or government entities; (iii) the
ability of AST SpaceMobile to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its
key employees and AST SpaceMobile's responses to actions of its competitors
and its ability to effectively compete; (iv) changes in applicable laws or
regulations; (v) the possibility that AST SpaceMobile may be adversely
affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (vi) the
outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against AST
SpaceMobile; and (vii) other risks and uncertainties indicated in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including
those in the Risk Factors section of AST SpaceMobile's Form 10-K filed with
the SEC on March 3, 2025.

 

AST SpaceMobile cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive.
AST SpaceMobile cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. For
information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements,
please refer to the Risk Factors in AST SpaceMobile's Form 10-K filed with the
SEC on March 3, 2025. AST SpaceMobile's securities filings can be accessed on
the EDGAR section of the SEC's website at www.sec.gov
(https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sec.gov&esheet=54218196&newsitemid=20250303501320&lan=en-US&anchor=www.sec.gov&index=8&md5=2923fb6d50029b1d780ec01db0ea7090)
. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, AST SpaceMobile
disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

 

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