Elon Musk’s Starlink faces new rival as Vi joins AST SpaceMobile, smartphone satcom service announced, launch date to be decided later

Vodafone Idea partners with AST SpaceMobile to bring satellite-based mobile services directly to smartphones across India, aiming to expand coverage in unconnected regions. This collaboration integrates AST SpaceMobile's space-based cellular technology with Vi's network, enabling voice, video, and data services without specialized hardware. The partnership will explore commercial offerings for consumer, enterprise, and IoT applications.