Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile Base Joint Venture in Luxembourg
Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile have officially chosen Luxembourg as the home of their new European satellite broadband venture, SatCo, in a move that signals their intent in shaping the future of space-based connectivity across the continent.
SatCo will serve as the exclusive European distributor of AST SpaceMobile’s direct-to-device satellite services, which are designed to provide seamless cellular broadband to ordinary smartphones with no specialized gear required. The company’s ambition is to blanket the entire continent in satellite-powered mobile coverage that complements existing terrestrial networks, offering uninterrupted connectivity across remote, mountainous, and maritime regions.
Interest from European operators has been strong, and mobile networks in 21 EU member states have already expressed interest in participating. Commercial services are expected to go live by 2026, with a small ground network of earth stations in the pipeline to support integration with Europe’s existing 4G and 5G infrastructure.