ASTS Stock Rises After-Hours: Vodafone-Backed Europe Rollout Hits Spain, 2027 Launch In View

Vodafone Spain said that the service could be commercially available from 2027.

• Vodafone Spain’s deal with Satellite Connect Europe boosted focus on ASTS’ European satellite-to-phone rollout.
• The agreement will bring direct-to-device broadband services to Spain.
• Vodafone SAT will cover voice, messaging, broadband and enterprise uses.

Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) rose 1% in extended trading on Thursday as Vodafone Spain’s agreement with Satellite Connect Europe boosted investor focus on the company’s satellite-to-phone commercialization prospects in Europe.

ASTS stock has fallen throughout the week and is down 19% so far, putting it on track for its worst weekly run since mid-February. 

ASTS Europe Push Hits Spain 

Vodafone Spain and Satellite Connect Europe reached a commercial agreement to launch direct-to-device broadband connectivity services in Spain, allowing standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without external antennas, special devices or additional SIM cards. Vodafone Spain said that the service could be commercially available from 2027. In exceptional or emergency situations, the tech could be deployed earlier with institutional authorizations.

The company plans to begin working in the coming weeks with businesses, public administrations and strategic sectors to develop use cases across emergency response, security, defense, agriculture, industry, transportation, maritime environments and rural areas. 

The offering will be part of Vodafone SAT, covering services from basic voice and messaging to broadband data and advanced applications for enterprises and public agencies.

ASTS-Vodafone JV Targets Europe 

Satellite Connect Europe is the Luxembourg-based joint venture between AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone Group, created to offer direct-to-device satellite connectivity to mobile network operators in Europe.

The Spain agreement marks another step forward for the broader AST-Vodafone European strategy announced last year. The venture will distribute AST SpaceMobile’s satellite services to European mobile operators through a turnkey model backed by Vodafone’s engineering and network operations capabilities. Vodafone has previously called AST’s satellites “antennas in the sky,” extending mobile broadband to areas where terrestrial networks are limited or unavailable.

ASTS Gains Japan Tailwind 

In Japan, regulators have moved toward allowing satellite-to-smartphone communication over the 700 MHz band, supporting Rakuten’s plan to build an AST-backed satellite communications network. Rakuten plans limited services using AST satellites in 2026 and nationwide coverage in fiscal 2027.

AST is also preparing to launch BlueBird 11, 12 and 13 from Cape Canaveral in the first half of August, after recently launching BlueBirds 8, 9 and 10. The company has said its next-generation BlueBird satellites are expected to deliver nearly double the peak data speeds of its initial Block 1 satellites.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About ASTS?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS was ‘neutral’ amid ‘normal’ message volume.

One user said, “$ASTS over 30 years ago i remember someone talking about cellphones. They said just wait these things will be able to do pretty much anything. Now this, Satellites to Cellphones service anywhere in the world. I believe in this company. LONG.”

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Another user said, “$ASTS Just grabbed 30 shares in the ah. They're not making this easy, but we will prevail down the road and up in space!:)”

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ASTS stock has risen 31% over the past year.

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