SpaceX says it plans to transform Starlink Mobile from a satellite backup service into a full wireless carrier, setting its sights on customers of AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
Speaking during SpaceX’s first earnings call since its June IPO, President Gwynne Shotwell said the company expects to launch next-generation Starlink Mobile satellites in 2027, with an upgraded service rolling out by the end of that year.
The improved network will use an additional 65 MHz of wireless spectrum acquired from EchoStar. According to Shotwell, the extra capacity will make Starlink Mobile "100 times better" than its current offering.
Shotwell said she expects SpaceX to win customers from the three largest U.S. wireless carriers, arguing that Starlink’s service will offer a stronger alternative.
Today, Starlink Mobile mainly serves as a satellite backup for traditional mobile networks, connecting phones in remote areas or during outages when ground-based service is unavailable. In the U.S., the technology is currently offered through T-Mobile’s satellite-to-cell service, T-Satellite, which complements rather than replaces conventional mobile plans.
SpaceX also plans to build a terrestrial network alongside its satellite system. The company says it will deploy smaller, lower-cost cellular base stations connected to Starlink dishes, creating a hybrid network with improved coverage and bandwidth.
CEO Elon Musk said the approach could deliver better connectivity than existing cellular networks while reducing the need for large, expensive cell towers.
The expansion follows the FCC’s approval of SpaceX’s acquisition of EchoStar’s spectrum, allowing the company to use it for satellite, terrestrial, or hybrid wireless services. SpaceX has not disclosed how much the project will cost.