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Cellular Giants Clash Over Space Internet
19 Nov
Summary
- T-Mobile urges regulators to block AST's satellite service over interference fears.
- AST SpaceMobile plans to launch new satellites for phone connectivity.
- The dispute highlights competition between satellite internet providers.
T-Mobile has formally petitioned US regulators, urging them to deny AST SpaceMobile's application for a satellite internet service. The mobile carrier asserts that AST's proposed satellite constellation risks causing detrimental interference to established terrestrial cellular networks, demanding thorough scrutiny before any approval is granted.
AST SpaceMobile, which has secured partnerships with AT&T and Verizon, is on the cusp of launching its 'BlueBird' satellites. These satellites are intended to provide direct-to-phone connectivity, aiming to launch service as soon as next year. However, T-Mobile's letter to the FCC, dated recently, highlights concerns that AST has not sufficiently demonstrated its operations will minimize interference risks.
This escalating dispute underscores the intense competition in the satellite-to-phone sector, a field also occupied by SpaceX's Starlink. Such regulatory battles over spectrum access and potential interference are increasingly common as companies vie for dominance in providing ubiquitous connectivity.
