Verizon and AT&T are partnering with AST SpaceMobile, which says it is building a “space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones,” according to a recent press release.
In April, AT&T launched a campaign during the Masters golf tournament promoting its satellite-powered plans. The spot starred Ben Stiller making a call after he gets horrifically lost during a bad game of golf.
The ad initially closed with the message “The future of help is an AT&T satellite call away.” However, T-Mobile complained to the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division that AT&T’s statement implied it already provided satellite-powered calls. AT&T in August changed its ad to read “The future of help will be an AT&T satellite call away.”
AT&T and Verizon have also made a regulatory appeal. In August, they filed claims to the FCC opposing Starlink’s proposal to operate its satellites beyond normal radio frequency parameters. The brands contended that the expansion would interfere with their networks.
SpaceX accused both brands of denying the public a beneficial service. “A familiar cast of wannabe competitors has petitioned to stop SpaceX, demanding that consumers and first responders sacrifice these life-saving services and America’s leadership in supplemental coverage from space,” SpaceX wrote in a letter to the FCC in August.
In November, the FCC approved a license for T-Mobile and Starlink to offer satellite-powered coverage from space, though it still has not decided if SpaceX can increase the radio emission power of its satellites to support functions such as voice and video calls.