French telecommunications leader Orange announced on Monday a new collaboration with American satellite designer and manufacturer AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) and Satellite Connect Europe to advance direct satellite-to-phone communication services. Orange plans to launch a demonstration in Romania by the end of 2026, showcasing voice, messaging, and data capabilities. Satellite Connect Europe is a joint venture established last November between AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone (VOD), with the goal of building a satellite constellation network across Europe. The venture will operate from a center in Germany, offering direct satellite-to-smartphone connectivity for commercial and government applications. Orange CEO Christel Heydemann has been a vocal advocate for European sovereignty in satellite technology, urging greater competitiveness for European networks, including the European Union's planned IRIS2 project, to rival competitors such as Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's (AMZN) upcoming low Earth orbit satellite network.