SpaceX buys 800MHz spectrum and says Starlink will become a major US mobile carrier
Key points
- SpaceX has acquired up to 14MHz of paired 800MHz spectrum nationwide in the US from Grain Management.
- SpaceX says it wants Starlink to become a major mobile carrier in the US.
- Satellites would cover outdoor areas. The 800MHz band, a lower frequency that passes through walls better, would provide indoor coverage.
- SpaceX says most existing smartphones already support this band.
- Starlink Mobile will also use its existing 2GHz mid-band spectrum for high-speed, high-capacity coverage.
- Indoor service will also come from land-based cell towers, which SpaceX calls advanced terrestrial deployment.
- TechRadar reports SpaceX also plans to launch 15,000 more satellites for the service.
The company announced this itself, so the deal and the goal are confirmed. Elon Musk called the spectrum “the last critical piece of the spectrum puzzle” for complete phone coverage in America. This is not a first. Phone Scoop says it is at least the third time SpaceX has bought spectrum in bands set aside for mobile service in the US.
The plan has not been built yet. It combines satellites for outdoor coverage with towers and low-band spectrum for indoor coverage. Light Reading reports that analysts still think SpaceX needs an MVNO deal, meaning an agreement to use another carrier’s network, to compete with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. Phone Scoop notes that 14MHz is a small amount of spectrum. It can give reliable basic coverage, but capacity for many customers or fast data is limited.
The move puts Starlink in competition with its own partner. Phone Scoop notes Starlink already supplies satellite coverage for T-Mobile. It also reports that all three big US carriers recently formed a joint venture to improve satellite coverage, possibly in anticipation of this competition. Android Headlines says the FCC has given the plan a boost, but the coverage provided here does not say how.
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