New York, Jan 6, 2026, 13:14 EST — Regular session
Shares of AST SpaceMobile Inc rose about 7% to $97.27 by 1:14 p.m. EST on Tuesday, after touching $97.89 earlier in the session.
The move followed an AT&T plan to start a “beta” direct-to-device satellite service in the first half of 2026 using AST SpaceMobile, Light Reading reported. The initial service would reach a select group of consumer customers and FirstNet public-safety users, while BlueBird 7 has been shipped to Florida for its launch and four additional launches have been planned before March 2026, the report said; an AT&T spokesperson said it was “still too early to give a specific date” for a commercial rollout beyond the beta phase.
The timing matters now because investors have tied AST’s valuation to proof it can move from demonstrations to repeatable launches and carrier-backed service. Direct-to-device uses low-Earth-orbit satellites to connect standard phones without a separate satellite handset, and the market is watching for signs the coverage can become frequent enough to look like a mainstream mobile add-on rather than a novelty.
AST said in a post on Tuesday that BlueBird 7 is “ready for flight” and has arrived in Florida, and it pointed to 2026 as the year it expects more BlueBird satellites to reach orbit as it starts space-based cellular broadband services with mobile-network-operator partners. LinkedIn
Satellite Today reported this week that AST has kicked off its launch campaign for upgraded BlueBird satellites. Chief executive Abel Avellan called the BlueBird 6 launch a “breakthrough moment” and said the company is targeting 45–60 satellites by the end of 2026, with launches planned every one to two months on average. Via Satellite
On its website, AST said its next-generation BlueBird campaign is ramping up with launches planned every one to two months and that it will announce the BlueBird 7 launch date soon. The company said BlueBird 6 launched on Dec. 23, 2025.
But the timeline is sensitive to launch schedules. AST has said the exact timing of orbital launches can change due to factors including launch-provider readiness and weather, many of which are outside its control.
Investors are now looking for a firm launch window for BlueBird 7 and confirmation that the AT&T beta begins in the first half of 2026. They will also track whether AST can stick to plans for multiple launches before March 2026.
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