First ever space-based voice call using a standard smartphone achieved

A US company has achieved the first ever space-based voice call using an unmodified smartphone.

AST SpaceMobile reached the milestone alongside partners Vodafone, Rakuten and AT&T using a satellite in low-Earth orbit that enabled a two-way phone call.

It is hoped that the initial test calls will mark the beginning of AST SpaceMobile’s mission to provide space-based connectivity to the roughly 50 per cent of the global population who do not have access to cellular broadband.

“Achieving what many once considered impossible, we have reached the most significant milestone to date in our quest to deliver global cellular broadband from space,” said AST SpaceMobile chief executive Abel Avellan.

“While we take a moment to celebrate this tremendous accomplishment, we remain focussed on the path ahead and pivotal next steps that get us closer to our goal of transforming the way the world connects.”

AST SpaceMobile is currently the only company building a global cellular broadband network in space that works with standard, unmodified mobile devices.

Rather than relying on terrestrial cell phone towers, users can directly connect via satellites using regular phones.

Networks like AT&T and Vodafone would be able to add the space-based service to their current plans, allowing customers to make and receive calls in so-called black spots.

AST SpaceMobile said it has “agreements and understandings” with mobile network operators around the world that serve roughly 2 billion people, including Orange in Europe and Telecom in South America and Telstra in Australia.

Regulatory permissions will need to be sought before commercial operations can commence in most regions.

The first successful call was made on 20 April using a Samsung Galaxy S22 smartphone, connecting a caller in Texas using the AT&T network with a receiver in Japan using the Rakuten network, via AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite.

Vodafone chief executive Margherita Della Valle said: “30 years after Vodafone sent the world’s first text message, we supported AST SpaceMobile in successfully making the first ever direct-to-smartphone test call using satellite communications.”