Last week a Vodafone engineer, Rowan Chesmer, somewhere in the middle of Wales and very much in a dead zone for cellular connectivity, used an AST SpaceMobile s

Vodafone has made what it calls “the world’s first” satellite video call using a standard smartphone, in a test of a system it says will provide mobile broadband service to 4G and 5G phones without dedicated satellite hardware. The service, using satellites from SpaceX rival AST SpaceMobile, is expected to launch in Europe before the end of 2025.

Vodafone has demonstrated the capabilities of a new satellite network by making what it calls the "world's first" satellite video call, albeit with some caveats. The company used partner AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird satellites specifically designed to transmit 4G/5G mobile broadband signals from space.

Vodafone partnered with AST SpaceMobile to connect its BlueBird satellites to the mobile operator’s terrestrial network through a space-to-land gateway.

The groundbreaking call was made possible through Vodafones collaboration with AST SpaceMobiles BlueBird satellites.

Vodafone wants to offer satellite internet in Europe from 2025. To kick things off, the Vodafone boss made the first video call by smartphone via satellite.

The BlueBird satellites relayed a video call from a Vodafone engineer positioned in a remote mountain region of the UK using an unmodified consumer smartphone.