Telus announced Tuesday it has signed a commercial agreement with Texas-based AST SpaceMobile to deliver satellite-powered cellular broadband service — including text messaging, voice calls and data — direct to everyday smartphones, starting late this year.
The satellite-to-mobile connectivity will be made possible by combining AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and Telus’s wireless network, enabling Telus customers to connect in areas of Canada where traditional cellular network infrastructure is not available.
As part of the agreement, Telus will invest in ground-based satellite infrastructure and become an equity shareholder in AST SpaceMobile, according to a Telus press release.
“Planned for late 2026, TELUS customers will be able to send texts, make calls and use data in Canada’s most remote locations, staying connected whether they’re hiking through the backcountry, working at a remote job site, or spending the weekend at the lake, using the smartphone they already own with no special equipment required,” Telus’s press release said.
Once the service is available, Telus customers will have the opportunity to use their existing smartphones to stay connected almost anywhere across Canada, Telus said.
“By combining TELUS’ award-winning wireless network and AST SpaceMobile’s innovative satellite technology, we’re eliminating connectivity gaps across Canada and ensuring our customers in even the most remote corners of the country can stay connected to what matters most, when it matters the most,” Nazim Benhadid, chief technology officer of Telus, said in the press release. “This is a significant milestone in our commitment to keep all Canadians connected, no matter where they live, work or explore.”
“Canada’s vast geography, remote industries and dispersed communities make universal connectivity both a challenge and a necessity,” said Chris Ivory, chief commercial officer of AST SpaceMobile, in a statement. “By combining TELUS’ proven leadership in network innovation with AST SpaceMobile’s innovative technology, we aim to provide seamless mobile coverage from city centers to the most isolated regions, ensuring people, businesses and first responders stay connected when it matters most. Together, we are working to define what mobile coverage means for Canadians, using the smartphones they already carry every day.”
Telus isn’t the only Canadian telco partnering with AST SpaceMobile on satellite-to-cell service. Last October, Bell announced it had successfully completed a test using AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites to beam connectivity for services including 4G voice over LTE call, text, emergency alerts, broadband data, and video streaming. At the time, Bell said the test laid the groundwork for the telco’s planned launch of low Earth orbit direct-to-cell service in 2026. Bell is also an investor in AST SpaceMobile through its corporate venture capital arm, Bell Ventures.
Telus’s announcement on Tuesday also comes three months after Rogers Satellite launched its commercial service late last year. Rogers Satellite currently offers customers satellite-to-mobile text messaging and text-to-911, plus support for satellite-ready apps including WhatsApp for voice and video calls. Rogers has said Rogers Satellite will expand to support data and voice services, including 911 voice services, but a launch date for those capabilities has not yet been announced.
The commercial launch of Rogers Satellite followed a three-month beta trial from July to October 2025. At the time of the beta launch, a Rogers spokesperson told Cartt the beta test was being done in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink. Rogers has also been partnering with Lynk Global, with the two companies successfully completing Canada’s first satellite-to-mobile phone call in December 2023.
Rogers also announced recently it has partnered with Geotab on satellite-enabled asset tracking.
