Senior VP & CTO, American Tower
Search every verified Edward Knapp interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In September 2022, Ed Knapp, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at American Tower, participated in an interview with AST SpaceMobile during the launch of the BlueWalker 3 test satellite. Knapp described American Tower as the leading global tower company, operating over 225,000 towers across 25 countries, and stated that its mission is to connect everyone everywhere. He characterized the relationship between towers and satellites as a symbiotic one, where towers can offload capacity from satellites and satellites can extend coverage to areas where terrestrial towers are uneconomical. Knapp noted that he has been involved in the wireless industry for over 35 years and serves as an investor and board member of AST SpaceMobile. He said that the partnership with AST SpaceMobile aligns with American Tower's core mission to expand coverage and capacity, and that the integration of satellite and tower networks will be essential to meet growing demand for data, particularly as the industry moves toward 5G and beyond. He also emphasized the need for regulatory support and strategic planning to optimize infrastructure investments for maximum coverage.
“The fundamental challenge in expanding global connectivity is how to get coverage through all parts of the world, especially in areas where towers are uneconomical. Satellites can play a crucial role in complementing terrestrial infrastructure to achieve universal coverage.”
“Our mission is to connect everyone, everywhere, and satellites are transforming the way coverage can be extended to remote and underserved areas where traditional towers are not feasible.”
“The partnership between towers and satellites is a symbiotic relationship that will help meet the tremendous demand for connectivity and capacity, especially as we move into the era of 5G and beyond.”
“The real challenge is how to extend coverage globally, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to be connected and participate fully in society. Satellites can help bridge the gap where terrestrial towers are not economical.”
AST SpaceMobile's BlueWalker 3 test satellite launched at 9:20pm EDT on September 10, 2022, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Just before the mission lifted off, Scott Wisniewski, Chief Strategy Officer at AST SpaceMobile, interviewed Ed Knapp, Chief Technology Officer at American Tower, about connecting the unconnected all over the world.
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