The battle for the last bar: New Glenn and AST bet on a “cell tower in space”

the-battle-for-the-last-bar:-new-glenn-and-ast-bet-on-a-“cell-tower-in-space”

In late February, Blue Origin plans to fly New Glenn again — this time carrying AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7. The satellite is built to talk to ordinary smartphones, not dishes or special handsets. The launch is a test of whether “direct-to-device” connectivity can become a real service, rather than a clever demo.

In most countries, mobile coverage is now a solved problem — until it isn’t. Step into a national park, cross a mountain pass, drive long enough through desert, or watch a storm take out a tower. Suddenly, the modern phone becomes a glass rectangle again.

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