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SpaceX Signs Multiyear Qualcomm Deal to Build 5G Ground Network for Starlink Mobile
Read this in the Market Flux appSpaceX has struck a multiyear agreement with Qualcomm to supply the base station equipment and network technology needed to operate Starlink Mobile as a standalone U.S. mobile carrier, moving the satellite company closer to competing directly with Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Qualcomm described the partnership as its largest 5G initiative to date, signaling the scale of infrastructure SpaceX is planning to deploy on the ground.
Starlink Mobile already serves roughly 7.4 million monthly unique devices across about 30 countries as of early 2026, and SpaceX separately acquired 65 MHz of U.S. spectrum and global Mobile Satellite Service licenses from EchoStar in 2025 to underpin a more capable next-generation network. The Qualcomm deal adds the terrestrial base station layer that would allow SpaceX to integrate satellite and ground-based coverage, a combination the company says can reduce mobile dead zones and eventually deliver 5G service to unmodified smartphones.
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- CnbcSpaceX signs deal with Qualcomm to provide network technology for U.S. mobile service
- Seeking AlphaQualcomm, SpaceX team up to power Starlink Mobile's 5G network in US
- ReutersQualcomm signs major 5G infrastructure deal with SpaceX for Starlink Mobile network
- Business WireSpaceX Selects Qualcomm to Accelerate Starlink Mobile's Nationwide 5G Network
- Crypto BriefingSpaceX taps Qualcomm to build ground network for Starlink Mobile
- WallstengineQUALCOMM TO POWER SPACEX'S NEW NATIONWIDE 5G NETWORK $SPCX has selected $QCOM to supply the chips and software for Starlink Mobile's terrestrial 5G network, with deployment beginning in 2027 across tens of thousands of U.S. cell sites under a multiyear agreement. The goal is to build a fully integrated satellite and terrestrial network, combining Starlink's satellite coverage with traditional cell towers. This would put SpaceX in a position to compete more directly with established U.S. wireless carriers, including $VZ, $T and $TMUS. Qualcomm's Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms will power the network's base stations, supporting 64-transmit, 64-receive Massive MIMO technology. Qualcomm also sees the partnership as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for AI-native 6G infrastructure in the coming years. The scale of SpaceX's ambitions is significant. Mobile Experts analyst Joe Madden estimates the broader nationwide wireless expansion could cost at least $100B, including spectrum acquisitions. That is an estimate for SpaceX's overall network expansion, not the value of Qualcomm's contract, which has not been disclosed.
- OpenOutcrier$QCOM (+1.0% pre) $SPCX SpaceX signs deal with Qualcomm to provide network technology for U.S. mobile service