AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS) stock surged over 6% in pre-market trading on Thursday, following a significant breakthrough in its satellite technology and plans by Vodafone, one of Europe's largest telecom operators, to roll out its satellite-based service across the continent.
Vodafone successfully conducted the world's first satellite video call using a standard smartphone, facilitated by ASTS's BlueBird satellites. This demonstration validated ASTS's ability to provide high-speed satellite connectivity to regular mobile devices, with transmission speeds of up to 120 megabits per second. Following this success, Vodafone revealed plans to launch ASTS's satellite-based service across Europe, starting later in 2025 and continuing into 2026.
This development represents a significant commercial opportunity for ASTS, as it could potentially gain access to millions of Vodafone's customers across the continent. Investors are optimistic about the growth prospects for ASTS's satellite technology, driving the stock's pre-market surge.