Vodafone, AST Spacemobile And University Of Málaga Launch New Space And Land Mobile Broadband Research And Validation Hub For Europe

Vodafone announced it will open Europe’s first research hub dedicated to developing integrated low earth orbit space-based and land mobile broadband services that allow customers to switch seamlessly between satellite and 4G/5G networks using their existing smartphones. 

The hub builds on Vodafone’s historic first space mobile video call using such a service on 27 January 2025 and supports the company’s aim to provide ubiquitous mobile coverage for its 340 million customers in 15 countries and its network partners in 45 more markets. Vodafone is spearheading the introduction of commercial direct-to-smartphone mobile broadband satellite connectivity across Europe later in 2025 and 2026.

Located at Vodafone’s European innovation centre in Málaga, Spain, the hub, which will open by the summer, is supported by an initial grant from the Spanish Space Agency. AST SpaceMobile and the University of Málaga (UMA) are Vodafone’s lead partners on the project with other third-party technology companies and developers invited to join, fostering a new European ecosystem of combined satellite and earth connectivity solutions.

Alberto Ripepi, Vodafone Group Chief Network Officer, said: “As society becomes more digital, the need to close coverage gaps increases. Vodafone, together with AST SpaceMobile and the University of Málaga, will forge partnerships with like-minded organisations to build harmonious space and earth networks to meet Europe’s ambitious targets for ubiquitous digital connectivity.” 

Chris Ivory, AST SpaceMobile Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are excited to collaborate with Vodafone and the University of Málaga on this pioneering project. This partnership will drive forward our shared vision of providing space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to everyday smartphones everywhere, leveraging our innovative satellite technology with the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit.”

Rafael Godoy, Dean of the School of Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Málaga, added: “This collaboration is a testament to the strength of Málaga’s technological ecosystem, to which the University of Málaga continues contributing decisively with its researchers, students and engineers graduating here.”

The Vodafone hub will specifically focus on the design, testing and validation of new open source hardware, software and processing chips that can work interchangeably in both space and terrestrial networks. It will house a space-to-land gateway, like the one Vodafone used for its successful space direct to device video call, to allow its partners and other operators to test and validate their own services connected to AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites before launching them commercially. 

By enabling other operators and vendors to test services through the hub, Vodafone is encouraging collaboration across the industry that will drive innovation and deliver universal connectivity faster and more efficiently. Ultimately, Vodafone will expand the hub to become a fully managed network and service operations centre for third-party companies across Europe. 

Source: Vodafone media announcement