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AST SpaceMobile CEO Publishes Letter to Partners, Shareholders, and Future Space-Based Cellular Broadband Network Users

July 01, 2024

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. announced that Abel Avellan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AST SpaceMobile, published a letter to partners, shareholders, and future space-based cellular broadband network users. The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Fellow Partners, Shareholders, and Future Space-Based Cellular Broadband Network Users,

The recent announcement of a strategic partnership with Verizon is another leap forward for AST SpaceMobile. It builds upon the momentum of our earlier flagship commercial agreement with AT&T, not only by securing additional capital in the form of prepayments and convertible notes, but more importantly, by accelerating our mission to eliminate connectivity gaps across the United States.

With both industry leaders – AT&T and Verizon – on board, AST SpaceMobile is now uniquely positioned to achieve a groundbreaking feat: target 100% geographical coverage throughout the continental U.S., the most valuable wireless market in the world.

The key to unlocking this ubiquitous coverage lies in the power of the premium 850 MHz low-band spectrum, which offers superior signal penetration in the low band cellular range. AT&T and Verizon together will share with AST SpaceMobile a portion of their respective bands of 850 MHz low-band spectrum to enable nationwide satellite coverage.

This is where this dual partnership comes in. This strategic move ensures wider coverage via shared spectrum that benefits both AT&T’s and Verizon’s subscribers. 

Why Low-Band – 850 MHz Spectrum - A Winning Combination for Nationwide Coverage

The 850 MHz low-band spectrum offers several advantages that make it the perfect choice for our space-based cellular broadband network:

Exceptional Propagation: Low-band frequencies travel longer distances and penetrate deeper into buildings and through foliage compared to higher frequencies. This ensures our signals will reach you wherever you are, even in remote areas with limited terrestrial infrastructure. 

Superior Coverage: The longer wavelengths of low-band spectrum allow for wider signal coverage, minimizing dead zones and dropped calls. This will translate to a more consistent and reliable cellular experience, no matter your location.

Seamless Integration with Existing Devices: The 850 MHz band is already utilized by existing cellular networks and compatible with today’s standard smartphones. That means you won't need any specialized equipment to access our space-based broadband – it will work seamlessly with your current phone.

What does this mean for mobile phone users? Less dropped calls, frustrating dead zones, or missed connections. Whether you are scaling a mountain peak, exploring a national park, or simply commuting to work, you'll have reliable cellular access wherever you go within the United States.

Transparent Technology: Whether you are an AT&T or Verizon subscriber, the space-to cell connection is designed to work transparently, meaning you won't need to worry about which carrier's 850 MHz spectrum is being used.

Here's the breakdown:

Complementary Spectrum, Unified Experience: We employ a segment of the 850 MHz band in conjunction with our terrestrial operations. Additionally, the complementary spectrum of both AT&T and Verizon is utilized without reallocating any spectrum resources from the earth/ground/land-based networks of either company.

Largest Commercial Communications Satellite Ever Deployed in Low Earth Orbit: The massive antenna array acts as a giant cell tower in space, with a broader and stronger signal that can reach standard smartphones directly, eliminating the need for specialized equipment.

The power and scale of the satellite array pave the way for a truly global solution. With a constellation of AST SpaceMobile satellites in low Earth orbit, we will be able to provide reliable cellular broadband coverage wherever is needed. This translates to bridging the digital divide on a massive scale, ensuring everyone, everywhere has access to essential communication services.

Innovative ASIC Architecture: As the cornerstone of AST SpaceMobile's Next Generation BlueBird satellites, the AST5000 ASIC is a novel, AI ready, custom, and low-power architecture developed to enable up to a tenfold improvement in processing bandwidth on each satellite, unlocking opportunities for seamless space-based cellular broadband services worldwide.

Mobile User Experience: You’ll have a seamless experience with either carrier. You'll simply connect to AST SpaceMobile's network through your carrier, AT&T or Verizon, for reliable cellular service for a smooth and worry-free experience.

This collaboration highlights the effectiveness of collective action. By combining AST SpaceMobile's innovative space-based network with the extensive terrestrial networks and expertise of both AT&T and Verizon, we are creating a solution that benefits everyone. Consumers gain unparalleled access to space-based cellular broadband, businesses can expand into previously unreachable regions, and first responders and rural communities will no longer be left behind in the digital age.

This is just the beginning. We remain dedicated to fostering similar partnerships with other mobile network operators, aiming to bridge the digital divide on a global scale. Through strategic agreements with AT&T and Verizon, along with Vodafone, Rakuten, Google, American Tower, Bell Canada, and more than 45 mobile network operators, we’ve established a strong foundation. These partnerships unite us with networks that serve more than 2.8 billion subscribers, propelling us closer to achieving this ambitious goal.

Together, we're building a future where connectivity empowers everyone, everywhere. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Abel Avellan

Founder, Chairman, and CEO