SpaceX has signed a multiyear deal with Qualcomm to build the ground-based mobile network for Starlink Mobile, taking its challenge to Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile beyond satellites. Qualcomm said on November 4 that deployment is planned to begin in 2027 .
Key takeaways
Qualcomm will supply Dragonwing technology for Starlink Mobile’s base stations.
The ground network will work alongside Starlink’s satellites.
SpaceX plans tens of thousands of cell sites.
Starlink generated 85% of SpaceX’s third-quarter operating profit.
SpaceX taps Qualcomm for mobile network infrastructure
Qualcomm will supply Dragonwing cellular infrastructure hardware and software for base stations designed to deliver high-capacity coverage for Starlink Mobile. The companies did not disclose the agreement’s financial terms.
Qualcomm described the partnership as its largest 5G initiative to date . The chipmaker is better known for the modems and radios inside devices, but it expanded its push into 5G infrastructure in 2020, targeting carriers and infrastructure providers.
SpaceX joins a list of Qualcomm infrastructure customers and partners that includes Verizon, Dish and Europe’s Vodafone.
“Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead,” Qualcomm Executive Vice President Durga Malladi said in a statement.
A terrestrial network alongside Starlink’s satellites
The terrestrial network will complement Starlink’s satellite capabilities, Qualcomm said, with rollout scheduled to start in 2027. SpaceX already delivers Starlink broadband to millions of U.S. subscribers through satellites in low-earth orbit.
Its consumer mobile direct-to-device service has more limited capabilities. The satellite network alone cannot match the full voice, video and data coverage that competing carriers provide on popular smartphones.
The mobile network SpaceX is building with Qualcomm adds terrestrial infrastructure to that satellite service. The agreement calls for base-station technology to support Starlink Mobile’s high-capacity coverage.
Spectrum purchases and Boost Mobile talks
SpaceX is also pursuing spectrum and a potential carrier acquisition as it seeks to compete with established U.S. wireless operators. In October 2026 , it announced an agreement to buy a nationwide spectrum portfolio in the 800 MHz band ; shares of U.S. carriers fell following the news.
The company is in talks to acquire EchoStar’s Boost Mobile .
Starlink already carries substantial weight in SpaceX’s finances: it contributed 36% of revenue and 85% of operating profit in the third quarter. SpaceX completed the largest IPO on record in June 2026 and is valued at close to $2 trillion.
Tens of thousands of cell sites planned
SpaceX plans to use Qualcomm’s technology across tens of thousands of new cell sites . It has not announced partnerships with cell tower operators or specified how many new towers the deployment will require.
Mobile carriers typically rent space from tower companies such as American Tower and Crown Castle. Those operators commonly accommodate several carriers at a single site.
Article produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the editorial team.
