SpaceX’s mobile carrier push reportedly involves tapping into 80,000 cell sites
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.
In short
- 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.