An AT&T-backed cellular satellite company sent a 4G LTE signal from space

AST SpaceMobile is working on space-based cellular signals. | Image: AST SpaceMobile

A Texas company called AST SpaceMobile managed to successfully transmit a 4G LTE signal from space that was picked up by “everyday, off-the-shelf smartphones,” the company announced this morning. The satellite AST used, called BlueWalker 3 (BW3), will try a 5G connection for its next major test. The company says its recent test was a “world first.”

Testing was conducted in Hawaii on AT&T’s spectrum using Nokia RAN technology, and the signal, which was beamed from AST’s satellite in low Earth orbit, reached speeds of up to 10.3Mbps. That’s fast enough for some video streaming, general internet use, and more ordinary cell phone usage.

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