Elon Musk is coming for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile with Starlink [View all]
Source: The Independent
Friday 26 June 2026 03:47 EDT
SpaceX is reportedly planning to launch a Starlink mobile service directly for U.S. consumers, a move that could position Elon Musks company in direct competition with established giants like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.
The Financial Times reported on Friday that SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell informed investors during a recent IPO roadshow that the company is considering a Starlink retail product and building its own terrestrial US mobile network.
Currently, SpaceX already provides direct-to-cell connectivity with T-Mobile in the US, offering supplemental coverage from space to extend internet access to remote areas. Reuters could not immediately verify the report, and SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.
This ambitious expansion follows SpaceX's acquisition of EchoStar's wireless spectrum licenses worth about $17 billion in September, and another $2.6 billion deal in November. The acquisitions give SpaceX the spectrum needed to rapidly expand a low-cost direct-to-cell satellite service using EchoStar's wireless airwaves.
Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/tech/elon-musk-starlink-cell-network-verizon-tmobile-b3003500.html