One of SpaceMobile's bigger financial backers Vodafone has agreed a 10-year deal to use its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.
The commercial agreement establishes a framework for Voda to provide space-based cellular broadband connectivity direct to devices throughout its operating footprint, as well as to other operators via its Partner Markets programme.
The deal will see Voda become the proud owner of its first Block 1 Bluebird gateway. It means that when customers find themselves outside terrestrial network coverage they will be able to connect to one of SpaceMobile's Bluebird satellites instead, which will route the data to said gateway, which is plugged into Vodafone's network.
Details have yet to be shared on how Voda plans to take this to market. Presumably the service will be reserved for enterprise customers, emergency comms, and perhaps the odd remote community, rather than for mass market users.
