Orange adds AST SpaceMobile to growing roster of satellite-to-mobile partners

By Leo Marchandon

March 2 (Reuters) - French telecommunications leader Orange ORAN.PA on Monday announced a partnership with AST SpaceMobile ASTS.O and Satellite Connect Europe, a joint venture between AST and Vodafone VOD.L, to boost direct-to-cell connectivity.

Direct-to-device satellite services allow standard smartphones to connect to satellites without specialized hardware, which is particularly valuable in markets where terrestrial infrastructure remains patchy.

Demonstrations covering voice, SMS and data are planned in Romania for late 2026, Orange said.

The partnership adds AST to Orange's growing roster of satellite providers that also include European Eutelsat ETL.PA and SES SESFg.LU, Elon Musk's Starlink and Canada's Telesat TSAT.TO, as the French telecom operator pursues a deliberate multi-vendor approach.

A company spokesperson told Reuters that Orange aimed to expand satellite-to-smartphone operations across Europe and its African markets, selecting the most suitable partner for each market based on local conditions including satellite coverage, ground gateway availability and smartphone penetration rates.

This multi-provider approach also ensures service resilience during emergencies, Orange said.

European telecom operators are racing to offer satellite connectivity, with companies such as Spain's Telefonica TEF.MC or Ukraine's Kyivstar KYIV.O also announcing partnerships with satellite firms.

Satellite Connect Europe, formed last November, aims to establish a Europe-based satellite constellation with an operational centre in Germany, targeting both commercial and government satellite-to-smartphone connectivity applications.

Orange CEO Christel Heydemann has been a vocal advocate for European satellite sovereignty, calling for competitiveness in networks like the European Union's planned IRIS2 initiative versus rivals such as Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's AMZN.O upcoming low Earth orbit network.