It’s been an extraordinary year for our network teams at AT&T, filled with innovation, dedication, and groundbreaking achievements. Behind the scenes, we’ve been working relentlessly to push the boundaries of connectivity. AST SpaceMobile successfully launched its first next-generation satellite, BlueBird 6, bringing us one step closer to making broadband satellite connectivity available to our customers. AST SpaceMobile has announced they’re on track to complete four more launches by March 2026, building out a robust constellation.
Jeff McElfresh signs BlueBird 7 at AST SpaceMobile’s manufacturing facility.
Where Space Meets Earth: Understanding Satellite Gateways
We’ve successfully brought our fourth ground gateway online. These gateways connect the satellite service to the AT&T terrestrial network, and we’ve strategically positioned them to maximize coverage and performance.
Here’s how it works:
Stellar Connectivity for Public Safety
Public safety deserves the best connectivity experience, whenever and wherever. And as their partner, we have a mandate to design connectivity with and for first responders.
Earlier this month, the Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Boulder County (Colorado) Sheriff connected to the FirstNet®, Built with AT&T network in West Texas on AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites in orbit. This included voice, data, and FirstNet Fusion, a game-changing new mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) solution for first responders that will launch next year, via satellite. The agencies provided real-time feedback to help ensure satellite services on FirstNet are built for their unique needs.
“In a large state like Texas, we want our officers to feel confident that they can patrol or operate anywhere in the state,” said Jared VandenHeuvel, director of Public Safety Solutions, Texas DPS. “Satellite will give us a safety net to know that our officers can stay connected and stay on the map in an emergency. Because FirstNet has made above and beyond investments and listened to the public safety community, we will be able to offer better security and protection for Texans.”
In addition, strategic investment from the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – the federal agency behind FirstNet – is upgrading the dedicated FirstNet network core to support future public safety-specific satellite-to-device capabilities, such as priority and preemption on Band 14, as well as mission-critical push-to-talk – tools that go beyond what commercial networks have to offer. Once available, these solutions will be complementary to and extend the reach of the FirstNet network for first responders in remote and hard-to-reach locations.
Beta Service and Beyond
All these milestones are building toward something extraordinary: we plan to offer a select number of AT&T customers and public safety on FirstNet beta satellite service in the first half of next year, with commercial launch to follow. And did you know? AST SpaceMobile’s satellites have the largest active commercial antenna array in low Earth orbit, which means better coverage, better performance, and longer battery life, (simply put, we don’t need as many satellites as our competitors).
Whether it’s radio waves, fiber lines, or satellites in orbit, it all comes down to one thing: connecting people to greater possibilities everywhere they live, work, and dream. Here’s to another year of innovation, collaboration, and progress. Stay tuned – AT&T will take connectivity to the next level in 2026.
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