# SpaceX’s mobile carrier push reportedly involves tapping into 80,000 cell sites

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/spacexs-mobile-carrier-push-reportedly-involves-tapping-into-80000-cell-sites/
- Published: 2026-10-23T15:16:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T15:28:56+00:00
- Original publisher: The Verge
- Original article: https://www.theverge.com/science/1017477/spacex-cell-sites-major-us-carrier
- Topics: Art, Culture, Space, Technology

## Key points

- SpaceX is reportedly seeking access to 80,000 cell sites.
- The plan combines towers with direct-to-phone satellites.
- The company is positioning Starlink Mobile as a major US carrier.

## Summary

SpaceX is reportedly in talks with US tower owner Crown Castle to access at least 80,000 mobile phone sites, as it prepares to compete with Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T. Combining ground-based sites with its direct-to-phone satellite network could help the company build a broader mobile service.

The proposed access would cover about half of the 158,500 cell towers currently operating in the US. SpaceX has also acquired low-band spectrum licences and received US regulator approval to deploy 15,000 upgraded V2 Starlink Mobile satellites; last year, it bought 2GHz spectrum from EchoStar for $17 billion. Crown Castle’s chief executive said the company was speaking with all parties, without confirming a specific deal.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.