AST SpaceMobile Secures 30-Year S-Band Concession in Chile

Chile's telecom regulator SUBTEL has granted AST SpaceMobile a 30-year concession for 50 MHz of nationwide S-band spectrum, a direct-to-smartphone spectrum position that matches what SpaceX holds in the market.

The award, reported on November 3, 2026, covers 20 MHz of uplink capacity in the 1980–2010 MHz range and 30 MHz of downlink capacity in the 2170–2200 MHz range. Those frequencies precisely match the S-band holdings AST SpaceMobile previously secured through ITU priority rights, meaning the Chilean concession converts the company's international claims into an enforceable national license.

For operators and spectrum planners, the practical significance is straightforward. A 30-year term removes the renewal risk that typically clouds satellite spectrum investments, and nationwide scope means AST can serve the whole Chilean territory — including the remote south and mountainous interior where terrestrial mobile coverage is thin — without negotiating piecemeal regional rights.

How does this fit AST's broader spectrum strategy?

The Chilean grant follows a recent Brazilian allocation in which AST SpaceMobile obtained 30 MHz of S-band spectrum. Taken together, Brazil's 30 MHz and Chile's 50 MHz give the company a contiguous position across two of South America's largest markets, and the source describes this as a rapidly expanding spectrum portfolio.

The pairing matters for a satellite operator. Direct-to-device service depends on licensed spectrum over each market the satellites cross, so consecutive national awards in neighboring countries compound the value of each individual grant — one constellation, multiple licensed territories.

What is the catch with Omnispace and Elveo?

The concession is not without complications. The same S-band frequencies in Chile were assigned to Omnispace as of 2019. Omnispace has since been renamed Elveo Mobile, and there are open questions over whether the company is operating or utilizing its 60 MHz holding to the best of its ability — in other words, whether an incumbent is sitting on spectrum it is not exploiting.

Brazil offers a precedent for how this may resolve. Reports suggest Omnispace/Elveo did not stop Brazilian authorities from providing AST and SpaceX's Starlink with the whole 30 MHz block there, despite the incumbent's prior position. Observers suggest Chile will follow Brazil's example, clearing the path for AST's concession to take practical effect.

Who else holds matching spectrum?

SpaceX holds a frequency and spectrum award in Chile that matches AST's position, according to the source. That sets up a direct competitive dynamic in the direct-to-cell market: two satellite operators with comparable S-band rights over the same national territory, each racing to commercialize service first.

For Chilean mobile operators, this creates partner-selection questions — which satellite operator to work with for coverage extension, and on what commercial terms — once the spectrum position becomes an operational service.

What happens next?

The concession now depends on how Chile handles the Elveo overlap, and the Brazilian precedent suggests regulators in the region are willing to reassign underused satellite spectrum to active players. AST's next milestones will be converting its Chilean and Brazilian holdings into commercial direct-to-device service.