United States

SpaceX agrees to buy spectrum for Starlink's US mobile carrier plan

The 800 MHz deal still requires FCC approval. Starlink plans to combine satellites with a terrestrial network, while working with local carriers in other countries.

SpaceX agreed on October 8 to acquire Grain Management's nationwide portfolio of 800 MHz spectrum licences in the United States. The transaction still needs approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but advances SpaceX's stated goal of turning Starlink Mobile into a carrier with its own network. It is neither a completed purchase nor the launch of a new mobile subscription available today. Grain confirmed the agreement and its regulatory condition; SpaceX described a future network combining satellite links and terrestrial sites. [1][2]

Low-band 800 MHz frequencies can travel farther and penetrate obstacles more effectively than higher frequencies. SpaceX says it would acquire up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum, with separate frequencies for uplink and downlink, to complement satellite capacity around 2 GHz. A particular aim is to reach devices inside buildings, where a direct signal from space has limitations. Those propagation advantages do not yet demonstrate coverage, speeds or commercial capacity comparable to national carriers. [2][3]

Ars Technica examined the FCC filing: SpaceX proposes radios and antennas on towers, rooftops and other structures. Its plan therefore does not simply replace every cell tower with a satellite. The company also reports authorization for its next mobile satellite constellation, but launching satellites and obtaining licences alone do not solve the cost, local permissions, interconnection and construction involved in a terrestrial network. The announcement examined here gives no consumer price, plan details or launch date for a US service sold directly by Starlink. [2][3]

Outside the United States, Starlink already supplies direct-to-phone connectivity through agreements with mobile operators. In Chile, for example, Entel describes a service for compatible phones in areas without terrestrial coverage and with a clear view of the sky. Customers use Entel's mobile offer; this does not mean Starlink has launched its own terrestrial mobile carrier in Chile. In New Zealand, One NZ also integrates Starlink satellite technology into its own mobile network. The new 800 MHz spectrum transaction concerns the United States; it does not establish Starlink as a terrestrial retail carrier in Chile or New Zealand. [2][4][5]

The potential impact is significant because SpaceX is seeking to move from supplementing other networks toward competing for direct mobile customers in its home market. What is established today is the purchase agreement, the intention to build a hybrid architecture and satellite service already delivered with partners. Approval of the licence transfer, network execution, commercial terms and real-world performance remain to be verified. The accompanying photograph of Starlink satellites is an archive image from 2022; it does not show the planned mobile network. [1][2][3][4]

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