Vodafone Idea partners with AST SpaceMobile to deliver direct-to-device satellite connectivity
NEW DELHI: Vodafone Idea (Vi) has partnered with US-headquartered AST SpaceMobile to deliver direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity in India. This comes months after its rivals, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, inked separate deals with billionaire Elon Musk-owned SpaceX to deliver Starlink satellite internet service in the country.
The partnership will combine Vi’s pan-India mobile network with AST SpaceMobile’s space-based cellular technology, which can beam signals directly to ordinary smartphones without requiring specialised software, hardware, or any updates, the companies said on Wednesday. By comparison, Android and iOS devices cannot yet directly communicate with LEO satellites.
