SpaceX plans to turn Starlink into a 'major' US mobile carrier

SpaceX has announced that it's acquired some low-band 800MHz spectrum for Starlink Mobile This is ideal for providing coverage indoors, and along with the launch of new satellites, it could pave the way for Starlink Mobile to become a 'major' carrier However, it's likely to still need both additiona

<![CDATA[ <article> <ul><li><strong>SpaceX has announced that it's acquired some low-band 800MHz spectrum for Starlink Mobile</strong></li><li><strong>This is ideal for providing coverage indoors, and along with the launch of new satellites, it could pave the way for Starlink Mobile to become a 'major' carrier</strong></li><li><strong>However, it's likely to still need both additional spectrum and significant investment in ground-based infrastructure</strong></li></ul><p>Only a week ago, AT&T’s CEO claimed that <a href="https://www.techradar.com/phones/network-providers/at-and-t-ceo-dismisses-elon-musks-starlink-phone-plans-as-not-viable-then-launches-dead-zones-venture-with-t-mobile-and-verizon-just-in-case">SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile plans weren’t viable</a>, but perhaps he’ll be rethinking that claim now, as SpaceX has just announced that it's purchased 14Mhz of spectrum in the 800MHz band.</p><p>As explained in <a href="https://www.spacex.com/updates#starlink-mobile-spectrum" target="_blank">the company’s announcement</a>, this is an ideal band for helping a signal penetrate obstacles like walls, ensuring that Starlink Mobile’s signal can be delivered inside buildings, and complementing the company’s existing mid-band spectrum, which is high-bandwidth and good for high-speed connections.</p><p>SpaceX claims that, as a result, it’s now positioned to build “the world’s most advanced mobile network” and to become “a major mobile carrier in the US,” by deploying this spectrum through a combination of its satellites and “an advanced terrestrial deployment” — meaning masts or other infrastructure on the ground.</p><p>Additionally, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has also approved Starlink Mobile’s Gen2 constellation application, allowing the company to launch 15,000 new satellites, which can apparently deliver more than 100 times the bandwidth of the current generation, for high-speed mobile service anywhere in the world.</p><div class="see-more see-more--clipped"><figure><blockquote class="twitter-tweet hawk-ignore" data-lang="en" cite="https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2108291133025698301"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We announced an agreement to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum license portfolio that will pave the way for @Starlink to become a major mobile carrier in the US.With this new spectrum and our Gen2 constellation, Starlink Mobile can ensure Americans have access to high-speed mobile broadband no matter where they are → https://t.co/1Uaf48v5pm<a href="https://twitter.com/cantworkitout/status/2108291133025698301">October 8, 2026</a></p></blockquote></figure><div class="see-more__filter"></div></div><h2 id="just-the-first-step">Just the first step</h2><p>So, this certainly sounds promising for the company, but it’s unlikely to mean the imminent launch of a major mobile service.</p><p>As Tim Farrar, an industry expert at TMF Associates, explained to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/08/spacex-spectrum-license-att-verizon-tmobile.html" target="_blank">CNBC</a>, “This adds fuel to the fire in the battle between SpaceX and the mobile operators, but it’s still a very limited amount of spectrum, and to get reliable building penetration in urban areas, SpaceX would have to deploy towers on the ground.” </p><p>So, it’s likely that SpaceX will need both more spectrum and substantial ground-based infrastructure before the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon really need to worry. Still, this latest move suggests that SpaceX is serious about its Starlink Mobile ambitions — and that the major carriers might need to start looking to space if they want to remain top dogs in the long run.</p><div data-widget-type="multimodelreview" data-widget-title="Today's best phone deals" data-model-name="Samsung Galaxy S26,Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus,Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra,Google Pixel 11,Google Pixel 11 Pro,Google Pixel 11 Pro XL,Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold,Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8,Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra,Apple iPhone 18 Pro,Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max,Apple iPhone Duo"></div> </article> ]]>