24 June 2025

Vodafone Idea has announced a strategic partnership with AST SpaceMobile, a company developing a space-based cellular broadband network that connects directly to standard smartphones. This collaboration aims to expand mobile coverage into India’s unconnected and hard-to-reach regions, complementing existing terrestrial networks.

India boasts over 1.1 billion mobile subscribers, with extensive 4G and emerging 5G coverage. However, AST SpaceMobile asserts that satellite connectivity can play a crucial role in bridging the remaining coverage gaps, particularly in challenging terrains where deploying traditional infrastructure is difficult or costly.

16 June 2025

Courtesy: Solomon Telekom

Geographically isolated island nations in the Pacific typically face unique and numerous challenges in ensuring that their entire population, particularly those living in remote and rural locations, have access to reliable connectivity. In addition to terrain and other logistical difficulties, the high costs of using traditional terrestrial connectivity and cellular backhaul to connect populations of a small size are difficult to justify from a business perspective.

Yet, mobile network operators are obligated to deliver connectivity and provide all citizens with equal opportunity to participate in a digitized future.