Stories
SpaceX Secures Spectrum Deal to Launch Starlink Mobile Phone Service
C
CNBC TV18•09-10-2026, 07:08
SpaceX Secures Spectrum Deal to Launch Starlink Mobile Phone Service
- •Elon Musk announced that SpaceX acquired low-band spectrum to provide complete phone coverage across the United States using Starlink satellites.
- •Major mobile carriers saw their shares drop in postmarket trading following the news, with AT&T falling 7.3 percent and T-Mobile and Verizon sinking 6.6 percent.
- •The newly acquired 800 MHz-band licenses from Grain Management LLC will allow Starlink mobile service to penetrate walls and work indoors on most current devices.
- •SpaceX still requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission to combine its satellite-to-cell services with a terrestrial network.
Key Questions Answered
SpaceX acquired low-band spectrum, specifically 800 MHz-band licenses, from the investment firm Grain Management LLC to help establish a ground-based link for voice services and complete phone coverage across America.
Shares of incumbent cell providers dropped significantly in postmarket trading following the announcement. AT&T Inc. fell 7.3%, while T-Mobile US Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. both sank 6.6% in New York.
SpaceX stated that once it receives formal approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it will combine its satellite-to-cell services with a terrestrial network to connect devices everywhere.
