SpaceX announced the acquisition of nationwide licenses for up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band. The company states this low-band spectrum will allow Starlink Mobile signals to penetrate buildings, complementing its existing satellite constellation.
SpaceX announced on Thursday that it will acquire nationwide licenses to use part of the 800 MHz wireless band. The deal covers up to 14 megahertz of paired low-band spectrum. According to the company, this acquisition is intended to help Starlink Mobile expand its service in the US and help it "become a major mobile carrier."
The new spectrum is designed to address indoor connectivity issues. SpaceX states that while its global 2 GHz mid-band spectrum provides high-bandwidth capacity, the new low-band spectrum "will provide a coverage layer that ensures Starlink Mobile's signal penetrates through obstacles, such as walls, and can provide service to customers' devices even when they are in buildings." The company notes that "most existing mobile devices already support this underused band."
Prior to this deal, SpaceX’s terrestrial spectrum holdings included approximately 15 MHz of unpaired nationwide Advanced Wireless Services-3 (AWS-3) spectrum, around 40 MHz of nationwide AWS-4 spectrum, and around 10 MHz of nationwide H-Block spectrum. Reports indicate that only the AWS-3 portion was actively supported by most existing cellphones.
The integration of this new spectrum with SpaceX’s satellite network is pending regulatory steps. Source 1 states that "Once it receives final approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), SpaceX plans to combine the new terrestrial network with its satellite-to-mobile constellation." Source 2 reports that SpaceX "has just acquired" the spectrum, noting that the FCC approved Starlink Mobile’s Gen2 constellation application this week. This approval authorizes SpaceX to launch 15,000 satellites "optimized for 2 GHz spectrum globally."
The FCC also "authorized the full range of backhaul bands (in Ka/V/E/W) used by Starlink’s V3 broadband satellites, enabling them to operate with the existing Starlink gateway network." SpaceX says its Gen2 satellites offer a 20x increase in throughput and over 100x more bandwidth than current-generation satellites, along with Direct-to-Cell capability for unmodified cellular handsets.
The move comes amid reports that major US telecommunications providers—AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon—had refused to enter into an MVNO agreement with SpaceX. By acquiring its own low-band spectrum, SpaceX aims to create a seamless mobile network that works indoors, outdoors, and in cellular dead zones without relying on partner terrestrial networks. Shares of major US telecommunications providers fell sharply in after-hours trading following the announcement.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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