AT&T and AST SpaceMobile complete first terrestrial-to-satellite cellular handoff
AT&T · AST SpaceMobile
AT&T and AST SpaceMobile completed the industry's first terrestrial-to-satellite cellular handoff, with beta testing next.
what happened
AT&T and AST SpaceMobile said they completed the industry's first successful handoff between a ground-based cellular network and a direct-to-device satellite network on Oct. 21, near Granite Falls, Washington, transferring an active connection on an unmodified smartphone from AT&T's terrestrial network to AST's BlueBird satellite network. Ericsson supplied the radio, core technology and network automation that cut the transition time from seconds to milliseconds; Nokia supplied the satellite-side radio access technology and mobility software. AT&T SVP of Network Robert Walters said beta services under real-world conditions are the next phase, while AST Chief Commercial Officer Wayne Thorsen said the companies are making "cellular broadband coverage from space a seamless part of the mobile network people use every day," per a joint press release. AST SpaceMobile has 13 operational BlueBird satellites in orbit, short of its goal of 45 by early 2027, with 34 more under production in Midland, Texas, per Broadband Breakfast.
why it matters
A clean terrestrial-to-satellite handoff is an engineering gap AT&T and AST still had to close before direct-to-device service can compete with a carrier-grade network; the demo lands as SpaceX is reportedly pursuing its own carrier license through a Boost Mobile deal, sharpening the field of satellite-to-phone contenders racing toward the same market before AST's constellation reaches scale.
for who
AT&T, carriers evaluating D2D partners, satellite-to-phone competitors
signal-to-noise
quick facts
- Companies
- AT&T, AST SpaceMobile
- Category
- product
- Impact
- notable
- SNR
- 4 / 5
- Event date
- 2026-10-21
- Published
- 2026-11-03 05:30 UTC