Vodafone Idea (Vi) has paired with AST Space Mobile to provide satellite connectivity services to its customers in India.

The partnership will support the Indian mobile carrier to plug connectivity gaps in some of the country's unconnected regions.

The satellite connectivity will expand on the mobile services that Vi provides its customers, including 4G and 5G mobile services.

AST SpaceMobile will develop, manufacture, and manage the satellite constellation, while Vi will oversee terrestrial network integration, operating spectrum, and market access.

For Vi, the partnership will enable it to provide voice, video, data streaming, and Internet access via satellite.

“Vi has always been committed to leveraging technology to connect every Indian, and we see satellite communication as a complement to terrestrial connectivity. As satellite-based mobile access becomes a reality in India, we are looking forward to ushering in a new era of seamless and resilient connectivity,” said Avneesh Khosla, chief marketing officer, Vodafone Idea.

"India, with its vast and dynamic telecom market, is the ideal place to demonstrate how our space-based cellular broadband can seamlessly complement terrestrial networks,” added Chris Ivory, chief commercial officer, AST SpaceMobile.

“We are not just expanding coverage; we are breaking down barriers to connectivity, enabling everyday smartphones to access 4G and 5G directly from space."

Vodafone, which owns around a 16 percent stake in Vi, is an investor in AST SpaceMobile, along with US carriers AT&T and Verizon. Vodafone is working with AST in multiple countries.

Founded in 2017, AST’s first test satellite, Bluewalker 1 was launched in 2019; Bluewalker 2 was canceled. Its latest test satellite, Bluewalker 3, launched in 2022. Its first commercial satellites, BlueBirds 1-5 were launched last year.

AST was originally planning a constellation of almost 170 satellites; the first 20 were originally due to enter operation by 2023, with another 90 deployed through 2024. According to more recent press releases, it seems to have revised its constellation plans down to 100.

AST SpaceMobile’s satellites already operate as remote radio heads, and the core network capability remains with the mobile network operator.

Vi is the third-largest Indian mobile carrier behind Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. The company launched its 5G mobile network in March following lengthy delays, amid financial struggles.

Vi, which was created in 2018 following the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular, has been struggling to pay its dues to its vendor partners after it was saved from the brink of collapse by the Indian government in 2022, which acquired a 35.8 percent stake in the company