Three Brazilian Operators Sign Direct-to-Satellite Agreements with AST

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 23, Brazilian regional telecom operators Brisanet, Unifique, and Iez! Telecom signed commercial cooperation agreements with U.S. satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile, planning to use the 700 MHz band to deploy direct-to-satellite phone service in Brazil. The three operators will provide their respective radio spectrum holdings and invest in building ground connectivity infrastructure to connect existing mobile communication networks to the AST SpaceMobile satellite constellation, with service coverage planned for nationwide Brazil.

Under the cooperation arrangements, Brisanet, Unifique, and Iez! Telecom will be responsible for infrastructure connectivity between terrestrial communication networks and the satellite system, including deploying or accessing satellite ground gateways. AST SpaceMobile will provide satellite communication capabilities, and the two parties plan to enable direct communication between phones and satellites through existing mobile communication bands. Target services include voice calls, mobile broadband data transmission, and video streaming, allowing users to access via ordinary smartphones without installing dedicated satellite communication equipment.

The three operators obtained relevant 700 MHz spectrum usage rights in May this year. Among them, Brisanet's spectrum resources mainly cover northeastern and central-western Brazil, Unifique covers the southern region, and Iez! Telecom involves the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Espírito Santo. The three companies plan to use their respective spectrum resources to carry out direct-to-satellite services and connect existing terrestrial networks with satellite ground facilities.

Brazil's National Telecommunications Agency has approved relevant direct-to-satellite testing licenses for the three operators. The trials are planned to start in November 2026 for a duration of two years, covering the areas where each operator is authorized to conduct testing. The relevant tests are incorporated into Brazil's direct-to-satellite regulatory trial mechanism, and subsequent commercial service deployment still needs to meet formal contract and regulatory licensing conditions.