Satellite Connect Europe and Vodafone Ireland Complete First D2D Video Call Via Satellite

Satellite Connect Europe and Vodafone Ireland have completed Ireland’s first mobile video call using a standard smartphone connected directly to a satellite.

The call was made from a coverage “not-spot” on Clare Island using an AST SpaceMobile BlueBird low Earth orbit satellite, connecting a Vodafone engineer in the field to the operator’s CEO in Dublin. Crucially, the connection required no specialised hardware, highlighting the viability of delivering broadband services directly to everyday 4G and 5G devices.

The demonstration shows continued progress in integrating satellite connectivity with terrestrial mobile networks, enabling automatic switching when traditional coverage is unavailable. The approach is designed to extend coverage, improve resilience and maintain service continuity in remote areas or during network outages.

The milestone comes just weeks after Satellite Connect Europe formally launched, and builds on a growing list of operator partnerships across the region, including Vodafone, Orange, Telefónica and Sunrise. As the AST SpaceMobile constellation expands, these collaborations are expected to move from trials toward commercial deployment.