AST SpaceMobile Secures 30 MHz License in Brazil and Agreements With 4 Operators

Key Facts

AST SpaceMobile said on October 26 that it had obtained a license from Brazil’s telecommunications regulator to use 30 MHz of S-band spectrum, along with regulatory approval for secondary use of 700 MHz spectrum. The company said its agreements with four regional operators allow use of up to 10+10 MHz of the 700 MHz band within those operators’ licensed areas. The announcement establishes a regulatory basis and local partnerships to expand direct satellite-to-phone connectivity in Brazil. The company said it plans to install ground infrastructure to support the service in a market with more than 200 million mobile lines. Commercial expansion, however, will depend on deploying satellite capacity and ground infrastructure and integrating networks, as well as on licenses, device compatibility and commercial arrangements.

The arrangement divides responsibilities between the company and telecom operators: the agreements provide access to 700 MHz spectrum within the operators’ licensed areas, while AST plans to invest in four ground gateways to connect BlueBird satellites to mobile networks. The links form part of the infrastructure that the company says will support satellite connectivity, alongside satellite capacity and progress in network integration. AST’s founder and chief executive said the company was “bringing together spectrum, operator relationships and ground infrastructure to deliver a third layer of connectivity across Brazil.” The model is tied to the commercial partnership Brisanet announced with Unifique Telecomunicações and Iez! Telecom, alongside AST, according to Brisanet’s filing with Brazil’s securities regulator. Brisanet’s chief executive said the partnership “complements our network and enables us to provide connectivity beyond the reach of our ground infrastructure.”

The service is intended to support voice calls, broadband data transmission and video streaming directly on standard smartphones, according to Brisanet’s filing. The filing said the service would work on customers’ devices without modifications, while AST described its plan as enabling connectivity in areas not covered by terrestrial networks. AST says about half of Brazil’s federal and state highway network, and two-thirds of land available for agriculture, lack 4G or 5G coverage. These potential gaps provide context for partners’ interest in extending coverage beyond urban areas, a goal TELETIME attributed to the regional operators. AST’s global network includes more than 60 mobile operator partners that, according to the company, collectively serve more than 3 billion subscribers.

The announcement builds on a regulatory process that had previously granted the company the right to operate the SpaceMobile system in Brazil, according to a decision published on May 18, 2026. The decision covered 248 satellites and approved an S-band block of 10+10 MHz, while the newly announced license covers 15+15 MHz, or 30 MHz in total. Anatel’s experimental regulatory framework allows temporary frequency use to test satellite systems that connect directly to devices and runs through April 22, 2029. According to Brisanet’s official filing, final details of its commercial agreement with AST and its two regional partners are still under negotiation, and the deal is subject to certain conditions. The company said it would update the market on developments; the companies have not announced a service start date or plan prices.

In trading, AST SpaceMobile shares closed at $39.79 on October 23, according to EL7 data. The announcement did not include a price target or financial estimate for the Brazilian contracts. AST said service availability would expand as satellite capacity and ground infrastructure are deployed and network integration advances, subject to licenses, device compatibility and commercial arrangements. The companies also did not set a launch timetable or subscription prices, according to TELETIME’s coverage. Completing contract details and regulatory and commercial terms remain the next announced milestones before the scope of availability to users becomes clear.