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TELUS
and AST SpaceMobile Partner to Bring
Space-Based Cellular Broadband
Connectivity to Every Corner of Canada
TELUS Corporation
and AST SpaceMobile, Inc. have
signed a commercial agreement to bring
space-based cellular broadband service
to places it’s never reached before
across Canada. As part of the commercial
agreement, TELUS will invest in
ground-based satellite infrastructure
and become an equity shareholder in AST
SpaceMobile, reinforcing the long-term
alignment between the two companies.
Planned for late
2026, TELUS customers will be able to
send texts, make calls and use data in
Canada’s most remote locations, staying
connected whether they're hiking through
the backcountry, working at a remote job
site, or spending the weekend at the
lake, using the smartphone they already
own with no special equipment required.
“By combining
TELUS’ award-winning wireless network
and AST SpaceMobile’s innovative
satellite technology, we’re eliminating
connectivity gaps across Canada and
ensuring our customers in even the most
remote corners of the country can stay
connected to what matters most, when it
matters the most,” said Nazim Benhadid,
Chief Technology Officer, TELUS
Networks. “This is a significant
milestone in our commitment to keep all
Canadians connected, no matter where
they live, work or explore.”
Once available,
TELUS customers will have the
opportunity to use their existing
smartphones to stay connected almost
anywhere across Canada. The connectivity
is made possible by combining AST
SpaceMobile’s Low Earth orbit (LEO)
satellite constellation, with the
largest commercial phase arrays ever
deployed in LEO and TELUS’ award-winning
wireless network, enabling connectivity
in areas where traditional cellular
network infrastructure is not available.
“Canada’s vast
geography, remote industries and
dispersed communities make universal
connectivity both a challenge and a
necessity,” said Chris Ivory, AST
SpaceMobile Chief Commercial Officer.
“By combining TELUS’ proven leadership
in network innovation with AST
SpaceMobile’s innovative technology, we
aim to provide seamless mobile coverage
from city centers to the most isolated
regions, ensuring people, businesses and
first responders stay connected when it
matters most. Together, we are working
to redefine what mobile coverage means
for Canadians, using the smartphones
they already carry every day.”
This partnership
builds on TELUS’ commitment to keep
Canadians connected by continuing to
enhance its network to bring faster 5G+
and LTE speeds and stronger signals to
communities across Canada, both rural
and urban.
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