AT&T says satellite D2D will complement mobile networks

AT&T CEO John Stankey has rejected suggestions that direct-to-device satellite services will take substantial revenue or market share from terrestrial mobile operators.

Stankey said Low Earth orbit direct-to-cell networks are better suited to extending mobile service beyond terrestrial infrastructure than replacing conventional wireless networks.

SatNews reported that Stankey said customers typically spend about 2% of their time outside terrestrial mobile and fibre coverage, including in wilderness and maritime locations. Satellite connectivity is intended to provide service in those areas through emergency communications, text messaging, voice services, and mobile data.

Satellite and terrestrial networks serve different capacity requirements. Space-based beams cover wider geographic areas and share available radio resources among users, while terrestrial operators can add cell sites, sectors, and spectrum in locations with concentrated traffic.

AT&T is positioning satellite coverage as a way to reach areas beyond its ground network rather than carry the bulk of mobile traffic in densely populated locations.

“I view it as largely a complement in the near to mid term,” Stankey said. “In terms of replacing the bulk of what happens on your handset every day, it’s a tough putt.”

Satellite coverage as an operator service

AT&T is working with AST SpaceMobile under a commercial agreement that runs through 2030. The companies plan to provide satellite broadband directly to standard smartphones using AT&T’s terrestrial spectrum.

Under the arrangement, AST SpaceMobile supplies the space-based platform and supporting gateway technology. AT&T provides licensed spectrum, network integration, distribution, and access to its subscriber base.

Satellite traffic is designed to connect with AT&T’s mobile core through terrestrial gateways. The service will allow existing handsets to connect to AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites without specialised chipsets, external antennas, or hardware changes.

AST SpaceMobile has said customers are expected to access the service through participating mobile operators, either after moving beyond terrestrial coverage or through a plan sold by their existing provider. The company intends to use revenue-sharing agreements with those operators.

AT&T has not disclosed whether satellite access will be included in existing tariffs, restricted to selected plans, or sold separately. The operator said eligibility, device requirements, and other service details will be announced closer to launch.

The proposed service extends beyond emergency messaging. AT&T is targeting voice, text, and mobile data, with video listed as a possible later capability.

AST SpaceMobile has demonstrated voice and data connections between an unmodified smartphone and a Low Earth orbit satellite. The company said its BlueBird beams were designed to support up to 40 MHz of capacity and peak data transmission speeds of up to 120 Mbps.

The 120 Mbps figure is a design target rather than a guaranteed speed for individual users.

The partnership allows AT&T to retain control of subscriber accounts, billing, service plans, and integration with its core network, even when the radio connection is delivered from orbit.

SCS rules and NTN standards

The US Federal Communications Commission has authorised AST SpaceMobile to operate a planned 248-satellite constellation under its Supplemental Coverage from Space framework.

SCS allows an authorised satellite operator working with a terrestrial carrier to use specified terrestrial mobile frequencies from space, subject to licensing and interference conditions. AST SpaceMobile’s US deployment uses spectrum supplied by operator partners, including AT&T.

The framework is regulatory rather than technical. It governs the use of terrestrial mobile spectrum from space in the US, while 3GPP’s NR-NTN specifications define technical mechanisms for integrating satellite and other non-terrestrial access with 5G networks.

3GPP introduced its first normative NR-NTN work in Release 17. The specifications cover radio interfaces, network architecture, radio-resource management, and radio-frequency requirements.

AST SpaceMobile’s approval under the SCS framework does not establish whether every part of its commercial network is based on NR-NTN specifications. SCS and NR-NTN address separate regulatory and technical elements of satellite-to-mobile service.

Public-safety communications form another part of AT&T’s plans. The operator is developing potential FirstNet uses, including connectivity for first responders operating outside conventional network coverage.

The FCC has also identified 911 access, emergency alerts, and limited communications during natural disasters as potential SCS applications. Satellite access can provide an alternative communications path when terrestrial coverage is unavailable or disrupted, although it does not offer the same capacity as a fully functioning ground network.

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile are continuing network integration and gateway work ahead of the planned commercial introduction of the service. AT&T has not announced a specific date for nationwide availability.

Initial service is expected to remain limited and non-continuous while AST SpaceMobile builds out its constellation. Wider and more consistent coverage will depend on the deployment of additional satellites.

(Photo by Rubaitul Azad)

See also: FCC votes on 160MHz Upper C-Band auction for 5G and 6G

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