Satellite Communications 5 March 2026

AST SpaceMobile and TELUS Corp of Canada have struck a commercial deal to deliver space-powered cellular broadband across Canada’s remote regions, the companies said March 3. TELUS is also taking an equity stake in the U.S.-based satellite operator. The launch target is late 2026. The companies aim for the service to function with standard smartphones, no extra gear required. The timing is crucial here: operators want coverage they can market without adding more towers—particularly out in rural regions, at sea, and across the far north. The real draw is so-called direct-to-device service, which lets ordinary phones tap into satellites, no need for those specialized satellite handsets.