AST SpaceMobile gains 30-year Chile concession

AST SpaceMobile stock rebounds on Chile approval

Shares of AST SpaceMobile rose more than 2% to $37.15 on Tuesday after Chile published a decree granting the company’s local unit a long-term concession to provide mobile satellite services across the country. The gain ended a two-day losing streak for the stock, which has declined 49% year-to-date.

The move in the share price followed confirmation that AST SpaceMobile Chile SpA had secured rights to operate its non-geostationary SpaceMobile constellation for mobile satellite connectivity on a nationwide basis. The concession supports the company’s strategy of delivering satellite-direct-to-device service using existing mobile phones.

Chile has granted AST SpaceMobile a 30-year concession classified as an intermediate telecommunications concession for transport services. The approval covers S-band spectrum for mobile satellite operations and also endorses the company’s underlying technical project, allowing service to be provided using duly authorized third-party facilities.

The authorization specifies S-band frequencies for signals sent from user devices to satellites and for signals sent back to users. The concession covers 20 MHz uplink (1980–2010 MHz) and 30 MHz downlink (2170–2200 MHz), matching S-band rights previously obtained through ITU priority allocations.

The Chilean decree sets a two-year timetable to begin service. Work on the project must start within 18 months of publication and be completed within 22 months, with commercial service to follow within 24 months. These milestones correspond to May, September and November 2028, with the service start deadline pointing to November 2028.

The Chile concession adds to AST SpaceMobile’s growing presence in Latin America. In Brazil, the company has been authorized for 30 MHz of S-band spectrum and secondary use of the 700 MHz band. It has also signed agreements with four regional Brazilian operators to support access to up to 20 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum in their licensed areas.

AST plans four gateway sites in Brazil to connect its BlueBird satellites with terrestrial mobile networks. The rollout of services is expected to expand as satellites and ground infrastructure are deployed and as integration progresses with partner operators’ networks, subject to regulatory approvals, device compatibility and commercial arrangements.

Alongside its regulatory advances, AST SpaceMobile is working with mobile operators to demonstrate satellite-to-cellular connectivity. AST and AT&T recently completed a test that transferred a connection between AT&T’s ground-based cellular network and AST’s satellite network near Granite Falls, Washington, using technology from Ericsson and Nokia.

AT&T (T) indicated that the parties are moving toward real-world beta testing and commercial service. AST is targeting initial, intermittent coverage before year-end in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, with additional satellite launches required to progress toward continuous coverage.

Despite the positive regulatory and technical milestones, recent retail trader sentiment toward AST SpaceMobile has been characterized as bearish. Over the past week, 24-hour message volumes discussing ASTS on at least one retail-focused platform fell by 45%.

Some individual investors have expressed optimism about potential future rewards, while others have highlighted concerns about the lack of satellite launches since August 5 and the absence of a set date for the next launch. Those concerns have been linked by some commenters to expectations for the upcoming third-quarter earnings report and projected revenue for 2026.