Perfect cell service is hard to come by, especially if you’re driving through the mountains or hiking a remote valley. The “perfect” service can disappear in a second. Switching between regular cell towers and satellite signals means a dropped call.

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile, alongside telecom partners Ericsson and Nokia, completed the industry’s first successful handoff between a standard ground network and a direct-to-device satellite network.

The live test took place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, outside Granite Falls, Washington, at 8:15 a.m. PT. An active connection smoothly transferred from AT&T’s cellular towers on the ground to AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites in orbit. Earlier tests proved that standard smartphones could handle satellite calls, texts, and video streams. This trial proved that the phone can switch back and forth on the move without dropping out?

Behind the Cellular Handoff 

Photo: muratart/Shutterstock

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Four companies divided up the engineering work. AT&T provided the nationwide wireless network, while AST SpaceMobile supplied the satellites built to reach standard smartphones.

Ericsson added intelligent automation and core tech to AT&T’s system, cutting transition times from seconds down to milliseconds so first responders and travelers stay online. Meanwhile, Nokia provided the radio access tech and mobility software running the space network to keep the handoff steady.

The companies do not intend to replace ground towers. What they want to do is back them up across remote terrains. Both companies see this as a foundation for broader public beta testing.

“The successful handoff is a significant milestone, but it’s not the finish line. As we progress toward real-world beta services and ultimately commercial service, we’re bringing together AT&T’s broad and dense fiber footprint, the nation’s largest terrestrial wireless network, and complementary connectivity enabled by partners such as AST SpaceMobile to create a more seamless, resilient experience. And with AI embedded throughout our network and operations, we’re making that connectivity smarter, helping us anticipate needs, improve performance and deliver the reliable experiences our customers count on,” said Robert Walters, SVP, Network, AT&T.

“Together with AT&T we are making cellular broadband coverage from space a seamless part of the mobile network people use every day,” said Wayne Thorsen, Chief Commercial Officer, AST SpaceMobile. “Our space-based network, powered by our BlueBird satellites, with the largest communication arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit is designed to give people more places to make calls, use their apps, stream content and stay connected with the smartphones they already own. It also adds a new layer of resilience for first responders who depend on reliable communications when it matters most.”