UK-headquartered Vodafone Group and US satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile announced, on 7 November, that they had selected Germany as the location for a new European Satellite Operations Centre. Through their joint venture, SatCo, the two companies plan to develop a European-controlled direct-to-smartphone satellite communications constellation.
In February 2022, AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone announced an initial partnership to build a direct-to-smartphone space-based mobile network. In March 2025, the pair expanded their cooperation with the establishment of a joint venture aimed at providing comprehensive geographic coverage across Europe for both commercial and government customers. The company plans to deploy a network of ground stations that will integrate with operators of existing 4G and 5G terrestrial networks, allowing users to switch automatically between space and land-based networks. The pair agreed that, while co-owned, the new joint venture would be headquartered and managed in Europe.
In June 2025, the pair announced that SatCo would be headquartered in Luxembourg, with initial commercial services expected to launch in 2026. According to a press release at the time, the proposed network had attracted interest from network operators across 21 EU member states.
On 7 November, Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile announced plans to establish a European Satellite Operations Centre in Germany. With the announcement, the pair revealed that the constellation will feature a “command switch” that would “support European oversight and security.”
“This capability supports updating all telemetry, tracking, and control (TTC) encryption keys for both S-Band (used to connect smartphones from space) and Q/V-Band (used for links between satellites and earth stations),” the announcement explained. “It also allows for the modification of service encryption keys for communications across the continent, as well as manages the activation, deactivation, and direction of satellite beams in Europe.”
While the two companies have agreed to establish the new Satellite Operations Centre in Germany, final negotiations are still underway to determine whether it will be located in Munich or Hannover. In support of its European expansion, AST SpaceMobile has recently opened a new 5,600-square-meter facility in Barcelona that includes manufacturing and office space.
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Coincidentally Sateliot just announced today that it will open new facilities in Barcelona to build new satellites for wideband links directly to smartphones. It seems that Barcelona is a popular city for satellite builders.