AXIAN Telecom, the parent company of a leading pan-African telecom group (Yas), announced a partnership with AST SpaceMobile. AST SpaceMobile is building a space-based cellular broadband network designed to work directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices. Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to deliver Africa’s first direct-to-device (D2D) space-based mobile broadband service, bringing voice, video, data, and internet connectivity to people across remote, rural, maritime, and aviation zones that terrestrial networks cannot reach.
AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are purpose-built to deliver 4G LTE and 5G broadband directly to everyday smartphones, with no additional hardware or app required. Under the partnership, this satellite network will be integrated with Yas core infrastructure across its markets, enabling seamless connectivity for voice, video, data, and internet services. Both companies will also jointly develop commercial offerings for consumers, enterprises, IoT, maritime, aviation, and emergency response, with Yas handling local distribution, regulatory coordination, and customer activation through a one-click SpaceMobile service.
The agreement supports Yas Data4All strategy, which aims to provide quality network access for consumers and businesses across all its markets. It also strengthens resilience by maintaining connectivity for emergency response when terrestrial networks fail.
Speaking on the announcement, Hassan Jaber, CEO of AXIAN Telecom, said: “Our ambition has always been to build a network that works for everyone in Africa, not just those in cities. Connectivity is the foundation on which everything else is built, and there are still too many people and businesses across our markets who are cut off from it. Partnering with AST SpaceMobile gives us the ability to close that gap in a way that was not possible before. Their technology is genuinely different: it works with the phones people already own, which means we can reach underserved communities without asking them to do anything differently. For Yas, this is the next step in making our pan-African network one that truly has no limits.”
Scott Wisniewski, AST SpaceMobile President, added: “Africa is a critical part of the global connectivity landscape. Together with Yas, we are bringing space-based cellular broadband to people and communities beyond the reach of traditional infrastructure, directly to standard smartphones. This partnership advances our mission to connect the unconnected worldwide and extends the reach of our network across the African continent.”
The partnership includes integrating AST SpaceMobile’s satellite network with Yas core systems, coordinating spectrum usage, securing regulatory approvals across Yas markets, and enabling one-click activation of SpaceMobile services for customers. The service is compatible with evolving 5G and IoT standards and will be made available to customers following regulatory approvals in each market.
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