Can This Billionaire Outpace Elon Musk in the Global Satellite Internet Race?

SpaceX’s Starlink may dominate headlines, but Abel Avellan’s AST SpaceMobile is betting big on a radical approach to connect your phone from orbit—no special hardware required. With 3.7 billion people still lacking reliable internet access, the race to deliver global connectivity is heating up. AST’s secret weapon? Enormous unfolding satellites that could bypass traditional cell towers entirely. Let’s dive in.

🌍 The Connectivity Divide: Why Billions Remain Offline

• 7,100+ vs. 90: SpaceX’s Starlink requires thousands of satellites for spotty coverage, while AST claims just 90 could blanket the globe.
• 700 sq ft antennas: AST’s recently launched satellites unfold pizza-box-like panels mid-orbit—20x larger than Starlink’s.
• 5G dead zones: 85% of Earth’s surface lacks cell coverage, leaving remote communities, ships, and adventurers disconnected.
• "A human right": Avellan argues internet access shouldn’t depend on geography or wealth—a direct challenge to Musk’s premium Starlink pricing.

✅ AST’s Moonshot: Your Phone as a Satellite Receiver

Avellan’s $3 billion gamble hinges on two breakthroughs:

• 🛰️ Giant orbiting antennas: Next-gen 2,400 sq ft satellites (launching 2025) will beam 4G/5G directly to standard smartphones—no bulky satellite phones needed.
• 🤝 Carrier partnerships: Deals with Vodafone, AT&T, and Rakuten let AST piggyback on existing cellular infrastructure.
• 🌐 Phase-based rollout: 60 satellites by 2026 to cover equatorial regions first, where 40% of unconnected populations live.

Feasibility check: If AST’s BlueWalker 3 prototype (2022) proved 14 Mbps speeds via Samsung Galaxy S22s, scaling up could disrupt telecoms.

⚠️ Roadblocks: Why SpaceX Calls AST a "Meme Stock"

• 🚧 Deployment delays: Only 5 satellites launched since 2022—far behind 2026 targets.
• 💸 $3B funding gap: AST needs to raise 3x its current market cap to complete the constellation.
• 📡 Signal interference risks: The FCC still hasn’t approved AST’s spectrum-sharing plan with terrestrial networks.
• ☄️ Space debris concerns: At 3,000 lbs each, AST’s bulky satellites could become hazardous if they malfunction.

🚀 Final Thoughts: A High-Stakes Game of Cosmic Chess

Avellan’s vision could democratize internet access by 2030 if:

• 📈 He secures $10B+ from governments/NGOs targeting digital inclusion
• 🤖 SpaceX doesn’t pivot: Musk’s recent T-Mobile partnership hints at Starlink-to-phone ambitions
• 🌦️ Satellites survive extreme radiation and micrometeoroids

The big question: Will AST’s “fewer, bigger” approach beat SpaceX’s swarm strategy—or collapse under its own scale? What’s your take?

Let us know on X (Former Twitter)

Sources: Alex Knapp. This Billionaire Immigrant Is Racing Elon Musk To Connect Your Phone From Space, May 21, 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2025/05/21/this-billionaire-immigrant-is-racing-elon-musk-to-connect-your-phone-from-space/