SpaceX is moving to establish itself as a significant mobile network operator in the United States. The company has secured a portfolio of low-band spectrum licenses, specifically targeting up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band. This acquisition is intended to improve signal penetration through buildings and walls for the Starlink Mobile service.
The company plans to integrate its satellite-to-mobile constellation with a terrestrial mobile network. This hybrid architecture will place SpaceX in direct competition with major carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. The deal currently awaits final approval from the Federal Communications Commission.
Additionally, SpaceX has previously obtained 2GHz spectrum from EchoStar to support its direct-to-device capabilities. The FCC has also authorized the deployment of 15,000 V2 Starlink Mobile satellites. According to the company, these new satellites will provide over 100 times the bandwidth compared to the current generation of hardware.
