AT&T and AST SpaceMobile: Engineering the Connected World, One Handoff at a Time
Business Wire•02/11/2026•12:00 ET
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Key Highlights
- ➤AT&T and AST SpaceMobile achieved a ground-to-satellite cellular network handoff
- ➤Milestone advances plans for smartphone satellite connectivity in remote locations
- ➤Beta services are expected next under real-world conditions before commercial service
- ➤Ericsson and Nokia technologies enabled seamless handover and service continuity
Expert Statements
Robert Walters, SVP Network, AT&T
“The successful handoff is a significant milestone, but it’s not the finish line. The next phase is expected to include beta services under real-world conditions, allowing the companies to further refine performance”
Robert Walters, SVP Network, AT&T
“The broader objective is to progress ultimately to commercial service.”
Wayne Thorsen, Chief Commercial Officer, AST SpaceMobile
“Together with AT&T we are making cellular broadband coverage from space a seamless part of the mobile network people use every day.”
Wayne Thorsen, Chief Commercial Officer, AST SpaceMobile
“Our space-based network, powered by our BlueBird satellites, with the largest communication arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit is designed to give people more places to make calls, use their apps, stream content and stay connected with the smartphones they already own.”
Wayne Thorsen, Chief Commercial Officer, AST SpaceMobile
“It also adds a new layer of resilience for first responders who depend on reliable communications when it matters most.”
AT&T and AST SpaceMobile: Engineering the Connected World, One Handoff at a Time
New milestone brings seamless connectivity between ground-based and space-based cellular broadband networks, becoming one step closer to commercial service.
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