This is John Batcheter, conversation with my good colleague Bob Zimmerman about a space company called AST.

Its business plan is to put into orbit satellites that can handle cell phones all over the Earth.

What is striking for Bob is who launched these early AST cell phone satellites.

SpaceX, of Elon Musk's global companies.

In other words, as Bob says, where's the monopoly?

Here's Bob Zimmerman to describe what's going on

and how striking it is and how Washington is watching. More of this tonight.

Okay, so this company, AST Space Mobile, they already launched a prototype satellite and the idea is to put together a constellation

in orbit that would allow all cell phones to access it.

The idea, of course, is that cell phone towers have gaps in their coverage.

Well, an orbiting constellation would cover the gaps.

In fact, it would cover everything.

And so ASD has now launched its first five operational cell phone satellites.

What's interesting is who launched AST Space Mobile's first five operations cell phone satellites.

It was launched by SpaceX on a Falcon 9.

And what one must understand is that SpaceX has also been upgrading its stalling satellites to do the exact same thing.

So SpaceX was launching someone that's a direct competitor to its stalling system.

And so I note that fact because people like the FCC and FAA and other regulatory people in D. to accuse SpaceX of being a monopoly.

But they don't do that. They are willing to launch competitors satellites to make some money but also to demonstrate that they're not trying

to squalt competition in the process.