Orange Partners with AST SpaceMobile to Advance Direct-to-Cell Satellite Connectivity

French telecommunications giant Orange has announced a strategic partnership with AST SpaceMobile and Satellite Connect Europe—a joint venture between AST and Vodafone—to accelerate the rollout of direct-to-device satellite connectivity. The technology enables ordinary smartphones to connect directly to satellites without requiring specialized hardware, offering a vital solution for regions where terrestrial mobile infrastructure is limited or unreliable. Orange plans to conduct demonstrations of voice, SMS, and data services in Romania by late 2026.

The agreement strengthens Orange’s multi-vendor satellite strategy, which already includes collaborations with Eutelsat, SES, Starlink, and Canada’s Telesat. According to the company, adopting multiple providers allows it to select the most effective partner for each market based on factors such as satellite coverage, ground gateway availability, and smartphone adoption rates. This diversified approach is also intended to ensure network resilience during emergencies and service disruptions.

Orange aims to expand satellite-to-smartphone services across Europe and its African markets as competition intensifies among telecom operators to deliver universal connectivity. Satellite Connect Europe, established last year, plans to deploy a Europe-based satellite constellation with an operational hub in Germany, serving both commercial and government needs. Orange CEO Christel Heydemann has emphasized the importance of European satellite sovereignty, advocating for stronger regional capabilities to compete with emerging global networks such as Starlink and Amazon’s forthcoming low-Earth-orbit system.

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