AST SpaceMobile signs Brazilian D2D deal; Orange Liberia launches 5G
AST SpaceMobile agreed with Brisanet, Unifique, and iez! Telecom to provide direct-to-device satellite service in Brazil using 700 MHz spectrum and ground gateways, pending regulatory and capacity conditions. Orange Liberia started commercial 5G service, becoming the country’s first operator to do so. Pilot Fiber raised over $330 million and agreed to buy Boldyn Networks’ New York–New Jersey commercial fiber assets, creating a network with more than 1,600 route miles.
AST SpaceMobile’s Brazilian arrangement with Brisanet, Unifique and iez! Telecom would rely on those operators’ 700 MHz holdings and ground gateways linked to its satellites. The intended service covers calls, mobile data and video on standard phones; launch depends on regulatory clearance, final contracts and extra satellite capacity. Investment, gateway count, initial coverage and timing were not released.
Orange Liberia’s commercial 5G launch makes it the first Liberian operator to offer the technology. The company did not disclose site counts, frequencies, population reach, suppliers, investment, measured speeds or expansion plans. Pilot Fiber’s financing and Boldyn asset purchase would create a network exceeding 1,600 route miles, including over 860 in New Jersey, with closing expected in Q2 2027.
In Brazil, satellite direct-to-device service could help people and businesses in areas beyond reliable terrestrial coverage, though regulatory approval, satellite capacity and operator investment may determine how widely it becomes available. Orange Liberia’s 5G launch may give consumers and enterprises faster connectivity and support cloud or data-heavy services, but undisclosed coverage and expansion plans make near-term benefits uncertain. Pilot Fiber’s larger New York–New Jersey network could affect carriers, data centers and enterprises that depend on high-capacity fiber links.