Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) climbed to a nearly three-week high on Tuesday, driven by fresh regulatory filings and growing momentum around satellite broadband competition.
ASTS stock jumped 6% during Tuesday’s session and added another 0.4% in overnight trading ahead of Wednesday’s open.
AST’s unit, AST & Science, filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday seeking to renew a 30-day special temporary authorization for testing in the 800 MHz band.
The request would allow continued broadband testing and demonstrations with federal government customers and partner mobile operators using AST’s authorized satellites already in orbit.
The proposed operations cover uplinks at 817-824 MHz and downlinks at 862-869 MHz, with AST stating the tests would meet applicable technical limits and protect existing spectrum users from interference.
In a separate letter filed Tuesday, the Space Development Agency urged the FCC to support AST’s June application to test pulsed radiolocation capabilities using its BlueBird satellites in the 902-928 MHz band.
Those tests would involve short transmissions directed toward areas near AST’s gateway sites in Midland, Texas; Lanham, Maryland; and Kapolei, Hawaii.
AST is working as a subcontractor to Systems & Technology Research under an SDA contract to demonstrate commercial tactical satellite capabilities in orbit, with the agency noting the work was “required to start imminently and should complete in 2027.”
“This testing directly supports SDA’s mission to deliver needed space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter,” the agency wrote, adding that “grant of the STA would therefore advance an important national security objective.”
The SDA said its technical review found the proposed tests could coexist with existing federal operations, giving the application a significant boost toward timely approval.
On the competitive front, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone, and Telefonica have held preliminary discussions about pooling efforts to secure satellite airwaves and offer services that could rival Elon Musk’s Starlink, according to Bloomberg.
The talks come as the European Union considers reallocating 2 GHz satellite spectrum when existing licenses expire in 2027, creating a potential opening for a carrier-backed alternative to SpaceX.
Vodafone’s 50/50 satellite venture with AST would apparently need an ownership change to qualify for European-reserved spectrum under the proposed EU rules.
Deutsche Telekom already partners with Starlink on direct-to-device services, though SpaceX opposes the proposed spectrum restrictions and currently lacks the rights to independently offer satellite-to-phone services across the EU.
The companies have yet to decide whether to formally proceed as a consortium or pursue separate bids, leaving the shape of any future alliance uncertain.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS slipped to “neutral” from “bullish” levels a day earlier, even as 24-hour message volumes surged 361%.
One user noted, “$ASTS with the new developments I think I need to add some after hours shares of asts,” while another expressed concern, writing, “$ASTS ASTS asks 30 days extra testing of spectrum testing under STA granted by FCC which expires 9/12. I find this a bummer that seemingly the tests were not finished fully yet.”
Despite mixed sentiment on social platforms, ASTS stock has climbed 62% over the past year, reflecting sustained investor interest in the commercial satellite broadband sector.
