AT&T: Switching to Verizon Has Never Looked More Attractive

AT&T's switch to Verizon has never looked more attractive, with multiple buy ratings on its common shares. The company has a history of in-depth coverage and has been written about extensively by the author. The article highlights the potential benefits of switching to Verizon, but no specific details are provided.

AST SpaceMobile's stock (NASDAQ: ASTS) has surged over 200% in 2025, reaching an all-time high of around $70 per share in early October. The surge is largely attributed to the company's landmark partnership with Verizon, announced on October 8, 2025 AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) Stock Skyrockets on Verizon Deal – Is Satellite-to-Phone Broadband the Next Big Thing?^[1]. This deal signifies a significant step toward eliminating coverage dead zones and extending connectivity to remote areas through satellite-to-phone broadband.

Verizon will leverage AST's space-based network using its 850 MHz spectrum to provide cellular service directly to Verizon smartphones starting in 2026 . This partnership aims to deliver real voice and broadband data, not just emergency texting, marking a historic milestone in eliminating connectivity gaps .

AST SpaceMobile, a Texas-based company, is developing the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by unmodified mobile phones. Its large low-Earth-orbit satellites, called BlueBirds, unfold massive phased-array antennas, effectively acting as cell towers in space . These satellites connect to standard 4G/5G phones on normal cellular bands, enabling voice calls, texting, and data broadband without any special satellite phone or adapters .

The company's recent milestones include successfully demonstrating two-way phone calls and video streaming directly via satellite in 2023-2025. Bell Canada made that country's first satellite cellular call through AST's network just days before the Verizon deal, announcing plans to offer AST-based mobile coverage to rural customers in 2026 .

AST SpaceMobile has over 50 mobile network operators signed on as partners, covering billions of mobile subscribers. The company estimates its technology could reach ~3 billion potential users through these alliances . This wholesale strategy means AST will sell satellite connectivity to established carriers, rather than trying to acquire end-users on its own, a capital-efficient approach leveraging carriers' existing customer bases .

The company is in the early stages of deploying its satellite constellation. It launched its first test satellite (BlueWalker 3) in 2022 and the first 5 commercial BlueBird satellites in September 2024 . AST plans to rapidly launch 45 to 60 satellites by end of 2026 to achieve initial continuous coverage . Intermittent service is expected to begin in select regions by late 2025, with broader commercial rollout in 2026 and full global coverage by ~90 satellites in orbit later on .

While AST SpaceMobile's technology shows promise, the company remains pre-revenue and faces significant execution risks. The stock trades at a sky-high 23x price-to-book, reflecting the market's expectation of massive growth . Wall Street is divided on ASTS, with bulls arguing the technology taps a huge unmet market and could generate billions in annual free cash flow, while skeptics caution about the long road to profitability and the company's rich valuation .