Months after launching into orbit, AST SpaceMobile's first BlueBird satellites have successfully powered a video call between two unmodified smartphones on the ground. US-based AST tested the technology in the UK with Vodafone,

AST SpaceMobile ( ASTS 6.15%) stock bounced back Thursday from yesterday, surging 5.2% in the first 10 minutes of trading on a big advance in direct-to-cell satellite communications (DTC) technology.

ASTS shares up on premarket as FCC grants approval for AST SpaceMobile to conduct testing in US with unmodified smartphones using AT&T and Verizon's spectrum.

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares surged 10% premarket after receiving FCC approval for testing its space-based cellular broadband network in the US.

This latest news (from AST SpaceMobile) isn't entirely new. Last week, PCMag was first to report the FCC had granted AST "Special Temporary Authorization," or STA, to begin testing its satellites with U.S. partner AT&T.