Vi partners with SpaceX rival for satcom services

Debt-ridden telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Wednesday announced a partnership with satcom firm AST SpaceMobile, a rival of Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, for delivering satellite service on smartphones directly.

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, Vi said.