March 2 (Reuters) - French telecommunications leader Orange on Monday announced a partnership with AST SpaceMobile and Satellite Connect Europe, a joint venture between AST and Vodafone, to boost direct-to-cell connectivity.
Direct-to-device satellite services allow standard smartphones to connect to satellites without specialized hardware, which is particularly valuable in markets where terrestrial infrastructure remains patchy.
Demonstrations covering voice, SMS and data are planned in Romania for late 2026, Orange said.
The partnership adds AST to Orange's growing roster of satellite providers that also include European Eutelsat and SES, Elon Musk's Starlink and Canada's Telesat, as the French telecom operator pursues a deliberate multi-vendor approach.
A company spokesperson told Reuters that Orange aimed to expand satellite-to-smartphone operations across Europe and its African markets, selecting the most suitable partner for each market based on local conditions including satellite coverage, ground gateway availability and smartphone penetration rates.
This multi-provider approach also ensures service resilience during emergencies, Orange said.
European telecom operators are racing to offer satellite connectivity, with companies such as Spain's Telefonica or Ukraine's Kyivstar also announcing partnerships with satellite firms.
Satellite Connect Europe, formed last November, aims to establish a Europe-based satellite constellation with an operational centrein Germany, targeting both commercial and government satellite-to-smartphone connectivity applications.
Orange CEO Christel Heydemann has been a vocal advocate for European satellite sovereignty, calling for competitiveness in networks like the European Union's planned IRIS2 initiative versus rivals such as Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's upcoming low Earth orbit network.
(aiReporting by Leo Marchandon in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)
