- The satellite joint venture will be managed by a Luxembourg‑based entity, with the main Satellite Operations Centre near Munich or Hannover.
- The planned constellation will include a “command switch” for European oversight, enabling encrypted, direct‑to‑smartphone 4G/5G connectivity from space.
What happened: Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile chose Germany for their new European satellite operations centre
Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile have revealed plans to establish a dedicated European satellite constellation and to base their principal Satellite Operations Centre (SOC) in Germany, near either Munich or Hannover. The initiative is operated through their joint venture, named SatCo, headquartered in Luxembourg. The SOC will manage a “command switch” enabling European control over telemetry, encryption key updates and satellite beam direction for the new system. Commercial operations are slated for 2026, with the service aiming to deliver space‑based mobile broadband directly to standard smartphones across underserved European regions.
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Why it’s important
The joint project is a significant step in moving satellite‑to‑smartphone connectivity from niche use‑cases into mainstream commercial mobile networks. By selecting Germany as the location for the operations centre, Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile emphasise European digital sovereignty and seek to reduce reliance on non‑EU infrastructure. That positioning aligns with broader regulatory and strategic priorities across Europe around critical communications and disaster recovery.
Nevertheless, the venture also raises several questions. While the technology promises seamless integration with standard phones, it remains to be seen how the constellation will perform in heavy traffic, how pricing will be structured, and how closely the service will integrate into mobile‑operator business models. Moreover, setting up a truly pan‑European coverage network via satellites brings significant cost, regulatory and technical challenges—including frequency coordination, ground‑station deployment and inter‑orbit interoperability.
In sum, Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile’s move could mark a new chapter in European mobile connectivity. But the real test will come when the constellation goes live and users evaluate whether “mobile broadband from space” lives up to its promise of ubiquity and resilience.
