Telus and AST SpaceMobile have completed their first integration test linking the Canadian operator's terrestrial network with the satellite company's space-based infrastructure, a prerequisite step before direct-to-device (D2D) voice calls and text messages can go live for Canadian subscribers.

The milestone narrows the distance between the two companies' announced partnership and a commercial service, though a working test of network integration is not the same as a launch. Neither company has set a firm date for when Canadian customers will be able to place a call or send a text through AST's satellites.

Why does this matter for Canada?

Canada's geography does much of the commercial argument here. The country has large rural areas where terrestrial connectivity is simply not available, which makes satellite-based D2D service more attractive than it might be in densely covered markets.

For Telus, the service is a way to extend cellular coverage beyond the reach of its towers. Telus EVP and CTO Nazim Benhadid described the successful test with AST SpaceMobile as an important step toward extending cellular coverage to areas without service, supporting the operator's goal of providing reliable connectivity to more Canadians.

There is also a technical reason Canadians should watch the orbital mechanics closely. Independent analyst Carlos Placido told Mobile World Live that southern Canada should have better coverage than other regions due to AST's orbital inclination once the service launches. In practical terms, the satellite constellation's flight path favors lower latitudes, which aligns with where most of Canada's population lives.

How many satellites does AST actually have in orbit?

This is where the timeline gets tight. AST previously projected that 45 to 60 of its next-generation satellites would launch this year. The company currently has only 12 in orbit.

Placido put the gap bluntly: "They said they would have 45 to 60 satellites in orbit by year-end, but currently have only 12, making that target seem unlikely."

AST has since revised its deployment schedule. The company is now targeting approximately 45 of its next-generation BlueBird satellites in orbit by early 2027, a significant push from its earlier commitments for 2025.

The revised target emerged in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulatory filing tied to a $1 billion notes offering. The same disclosure followed a serious setback to one of AST's two main launch partners, which contributed to the slower deployment cadence.

What happens next?

The pattern for Telus subscribers is now one of incremental technical progress against a satellite deployment schedule that keeps slipping. The integration test proves the terrestrial and space segments can talk to each other; what is still missing is the constellation density to support continuous service over Canadian territory.

The near-term milestones to watch are concrete: additional BlueBird launches, progress toward the roughly 45 satellites AST says it will have in orbit by early 2027, and the follow-on testing phases between Telus and AST that would move D2D from integration checks toward actual calls and messages on commercial handsets.

Until those satellites fly, the Canadian D2D service remains a demonstrated capability awaiting infrastructure. Telus, for its part, has signalled that extending coverage to unserved Canadians remains the goal the partnership is built to serve.