AST SpaceMobile inked a commercial agreement with long-time investor Vodafone Group spanning the period to 2034, ahead of the operator offering space-based broadband connectivity across markets in Europe and Africa.

Vodafone placed an order for its first AST SpaceMobile Block 1 BlueBird gateway.

Customers in areas with little-to-no mobile coverage would be able to connect their smartphones directly to AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites which will route the data to the gateway.

The gateways will connect to Vodafone’s existing infrastructure to route the broadband data to users’ devices, as well as to access third-party apps and the internet.

AST SpaceMobile launched its first five satellites in September and is now preparing for commercial and US government services.

The company is building 17 second-generation satellites, which have a larger array than its initial birds and up to ten-times more capacity. They are scheduled to launch in 2025.

AST SpaceMobile faces stiff competition in the direct-to-device sector from companies including Apple and Lynk Global, Space X and T-Mobile US.

Vodafone has made three investments in AST SpaceMobile since 2018. Along with AT&T, it is also a key technology partner for the direct-to-device satellite communications player.

AST SpaceMobile also has partnerships with operators including Bell Canada, MTN Group, Orange, Telefonica, Etisalat and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison.