French telecommunications company Orange has joined forces with AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone's joint venture to develop satellite-to-smartphone connectivity. The collaboration will test voice, text, and data services directly from satellites to cell phones in Romania by late 2026.
A major French telecommunications company announced Monday it will collaborate with AST SpaceMobile and a Vodafone partnership to develop revolutionary satellite-to-smartphone technology.
Orange revealed plans to test the groundbreaking direct-to-cell service in Romania during the final months of 2026, with trials including voice calls, text messaging, and internet data transmission.
The initiative involves Satellite Connect Europe, a collaborative effort between AST and Vodafone that launched in November. This venture plans to create a European satellite network with headquarters in Germany, serving both private companies and government agencies seeking satellite-to-phone connectivity.
Orange’s chief executive Christel Heydemann has consistently promoted the need for Europe to develop its own satellite capabilities, emphasizing the importance of competing with established networks like Elon Musk’s Starlink system and Amazon’s planned low Earth orbit satellite constellation through initiatives such as the European Union’s IRIS2 program.
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