Alphabet, the parent company of Google, Waymo self-driving cars and dozens of other subsidiaries, is further investing in would-be satellite direct-to-consumer cellular activity AST SpaceMobile.
Google is already a strategic investor in AST SpaceMobile, having participated in a $155 million (€132.6m) investment round alongside AT&T and Vodafone in January 2024. The investment supported AST SpaceMobile’s goal of building a space-based cellular broadband network to connect directly with standard mobile phones. Google’s involvement also includes collaboration on product development, testing, and implementation plans for SpaceMobile network connectivity on Android and related devices.
Alphabet has now reportedly acquired an additional 8.9 million shares of AST’s stock, valued at about $203.3 million.
AST’s technology allows for direct-to-device connectivity, meaning standard mobile phones can connect to satellites without needing specialized equipment. The company has successfully completed calls and data connections using unmodified smartphones connected to its BlueWalker 3 satellites.
