AST SpaceMobile and TELUS Partner to Bring Space-Based Cellular Broadband Connectivity to Canada

(VANCOUVER, British Columbia & MIDLAND, Texas) In the wake of AST SpaceMobile’s (NASDAQ: ASTS) partnership announcement with Orange, the company this evening announced that it has signed a commercial agreement with Canadian telco TELUS Corporation (NYSE: TU, TSX: T) to bring space-based cellular broadband service “to places it’s never reached before across Canada,” according to a press release from AST SpaceMobile.

Image courtesy of AST SpaceMobile.

Per AST’s release, TELUS customers can expect to be able to send texts, make calls and use data in Canada’s most remote locations – “staying connected whether they’re hiking through the backcountry, working at a remote job site, or spending the weekend at the lake, using the smartphone they already own with no special equipment required” – beginning in late 2026.

The connectivity will be made possible by combining AST SpaceMobile’s Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, with the largest commercial phase arrays ever deployed in LEO and TELUS’ award-winning wireless network, enabling connectivity in areas where traditional cellular network infrastructure is not available, according to AST SpaceMobile.

“By combining TELUS’ award-winning wireless network and AST SpaceMobile’s innovative satellite technology, we’re eliminating connectivity gaps across Canada and ensuring our customers in even the most remote corners of the country can stay connected to what matters most, when it matters the most,” said Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer, TELUS Networks. “This is a significant milestone in our commitment to keep all Canadians connected, no matter where they live, work or explore.”

Chris Ivory, AST SpaceMobile’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Canada’s vast geography, remote industries and dispersed communities make universal connectivity both a challenge and a necessity. By combining TELUS’ proven leadership in network innovation with AST SpaceMobile’s innovative technology, we aim to provide seamless mobile coverage from city centers to the most isolated regions, ensuring people, businesses and first responders stay connected when it matters most. Together, we are working to redefine what mobile coverage means for Canadians, using the smartphones they already carry every day.”

The AST-TELUS partnership builds on TELUS’ commitment to keep Canadians connected by continuing to enhance its network to bring faster 5G+ and LTE speeds and stronger signals to communities across Canada, both rural and urban, according to AST SpaceMobile.