Edward Knapp on global connectivity
From AST SpaceMobile interviews American Tower's CTO live at the BlueWalker 3 satellite launch · · ASTSpaceMobile
“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.”
On , Edward Knapp, Senior VP & CTO at American Tower Corp, spoke about global connectivity during AST SpaceMobile interviews American Tower's CTO live at the BlueWalker 3 satellite launch on ASTSpaceMobile.
About Edward Knapp
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.