- Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile Choose Germany as a satellite operations center to further strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty.
- The move follows the creation of the Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile satellite joint venture based in Luxembourg. SatCo.
- Planned EU constellation be equipped with a “command switch” to ensure European supervision and security.
- AST SpaceMobile has applied for registration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) through Germany a new medium-band satellite constellation.
AST SpaceMobile Inc.1and Vodafone Group Plc2today announce that they have selected Germany as the location for their primary satellite operations center.
The center will allocate and map satellite connectivity used by SatCo to help mobile network operators (MNOs) across Europe ensure widespread mobile broadband in underserved areas and support emergency services and disaster relief organizations. The location will be near either Munich or Hanover, depending on final negotiations with all relevant parties.
SatCo is committed to providing a scalable solution European mobile broadband service via satellite for use by mobile network operators for the benefit of all European citizens, companies and public sector organizations. Mobile network operators in 21 European Union (EU) member states and other European countries have expressed interest in launching the service. Commercial launch is planned for 2026.
The planned EU constellation will include a comprehensive “command switch” function to support European supervision and security. This feature supports updating everyone Telemetry, PersecutionAnd control (TTC) encryption keys for S-band (used to connect smartphones from space) and Q/V-band (used to connect between satellites and earth stations). It also enables service encryption keys to be changed for communications across the continent and manages the activation, deactivation and pointing of satellite beams in Europe.
In addition to commercial mobile broadbandwill support the constellation public protection and disaster relief measures (PPDR). It does this by providing reliable, broadband connectivity from space directly to responders’ everyday smartphones and other mobile devices, even in the most dangerous and demanding environments.
Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone, said: “SatCo delivers a sovereign satellite solution for all of Europe. It will give European operators access to secure and robust satellite communications and complement existing terrestrial telecommunications networks. By establishing a satellite constellation in the EU and our main command center in Germany, we are ensuring that the next frontier of communications infrastructure is firmly anchored in Europe.”
The planned satellite constellation can also contribute to the development of a pan-European mobile broadband system and improve the communication and coordination of emergency services during crises and disasters, in line with the vision of the EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS). In particular, the satellites will support frequency bands suitable for PPDR radio communications, subject to national decisions and operational capabilities.
While many functions are automated, specialized engineers in the operations center will monitor and respond to extraterrestrial events such as solar flares, as well as deal with problems that arise on Earth. It will also house one of SatCo’s ground-based gateway stations across Europe. These gateways provide secure backhaul connections between the satellite constellation and terrestrial 4G/5G networks, allowing users to automatically switch between space-based and land-based coverage for uninterrupted, robust connectivity.
AST SpaceMobile has submitted the relevant documents to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations, via Germany. This will help manage and mitigate signal interference and ensure smooth integration into existing mobile networks.
Germany’s strategically central location provides SatCo with the ideal foundation to complement terrestrial networks and supports the need for users across Europe to remain securely connected anytime, anywhere. In addition to providing services to all MNOs in the EU using their national frequency bands, SatCo is a candidate for access to the EU’s 2GHz Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum. If secured, existing mobile network operators would be able to distribute a fully pan-European, sovereign, space-based broadband service directly to their customers. To support this capability, the above PPDR frequency bands (698-703/753-758 MHz and 733-736/788-791 MHz) would be used.
1 AST SpaceMobile Inc., the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network directly accessible via everyday smartphones and designed for both commercial and government applications
2 Vodafone Group Plc, a leading European and African telecommunications company
