🛰️ AST SpaceMobile $ASTS shares rose 3.5% Monday morning after the company announced progress toward launching space-based cellular broadband services across Europe. Deutsche Telekom, Orange $ORA, Telefónica $TEF and Vodafone $VOD have signed a Letter of Intent to explore a potential joint bid for Mobile Satellite Services spectrum. The initiative brings together Europe’s four largest mobile network operators to coordinate spectrum access, network integration and satellite broadband deployment, particularly in areas lacking reliable terrestrial coverage. AST SpaceMobile is developing dedicated European-operated ground infrastructure connecting its BlueBird satellites directly to operators’ core networks. The architecture is designed to serve a market of more than 500 million mobile subscribers, while keeping data handling and service control within European jurisdiction. The company’s satellites connect directly to ordinary smartphones without specialized equipment. AST has already demonstrated peak download speeds of 98.9 Mbps, while its next-generation satellites are expected to approach 200 Mbps. AST’s technology can operate across approximately 1,150 MHz of partner operators’ low- and mid-band spectrum globally. Combined with its S-band priority rights, this flexibility could support expanded European coverage and capacity, subject to regulatory approvals. The proposed spectrum bid remains exploratory, with the operators having signed a Letter of Intent rather than a definitive agreement. #ASTS #SatelliteBroadband #Telecommunications