AST SpaceMobile, Inc., the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, and stc group , a leading digital enabler in the Middle East and North Africa MENA region, today announced the signature of a 10- year commercial agreement to enable direct-to-device satellite mobile connectivity across Saudi Arabia and key regional markets. As part of this agreement, stc has committed to a prepayment of 175 million for future services and made a significant long-term commercial revenue commitment.
AST SpaceMobile will integrate its space-based cellular broadband connectivity with stc's terrestrial infrastructure to expand mobile coverage across Saudi Arabia, as well as select countries in the Middle East and Africa. The partnership aims to eliminate connectivity gaps by delivering 5G and 4G LTE services directly to standard mobile phones without the need of any specialized software or device support or updates, for consumers, enterprises, and government sectors, ensuring seamless voice and broadband access
Under this agreement, the first in the region for AST SpaceMobile, the company will build three ground gateways in Saudi Arabia and establish a Network Operations Center NOC in Riyadh to support the network's operations and service quality. These key infrastructure developments will be instrumental in providing seamless connectivity across the region.
