SpaceX plans terrestrial mobile network to rival US carriers

SpaceX announced plans to build a terrestrial mobile network that will compete directly with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon for customers. The disclosure came during the company’s first earnings call on August 5, 2026, when President Gwynne Shotwell and CEO Elon Musk detailed the strategy in a Q&A session. Shotwell stated that spectrum purchased from EchoStar includes terrestrial components, and SpaceX "definitely intend[s] to build out the terrestrial component" to create a full mobile service combining satellite capacity with ground infrastructure. The move targets the U.S. wireless market, which Shotwell estimated is worth around $600 billion annually, and she anticipates acquiring "quite a few" subscribers from the dominant carriers because she believes SpaceX’s service will be better. Musk emphasized that the network could be built using small base stations integrated with Starlink broadband dishes, rather than expensive, large cellular towers, leveraging the dishes’ rooftop locations for clear connectivity to cellphones. SpaceX already operates a direct-to-device service called Starlink Mobile, which currently augments T-Mobile’s network by providing limited messaging and data in dead zones. Shotwell said the service will become "100 times better" once it uses the EchoStar bandwidth and next-generation Starlink Mobile V2 satellites, which "will start flying next year." The company acquired only 65 megahertz of spectrum from EchoStar, far less than what each of the Big 3 carriers holds, so building a nationwide network may require more spectrum or innovative deployment. Shotwell hinted at "great and new ideas" for efficient ground infrastructure, suggesting that cellular base stations could be placed on the mounts of Starlink dishes, creating small femtocells deployed as needed. Musk elaborated that this approach could provide higher bandwidth than current cellular offerings, calling it "an important point." SpaceX’s larger ambitions had been rumored before its IPO, with Shotwell previously telling investors about plans to sell mobile contracts directly to individuals in the U.S. The company’s entry into the terrestrial mobile market signals a significant shift, potentially reshaping competition in the wireless industry.