On Nov 4, Qualcomm Technologies said SpaceX had selected its Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms for Starlink Mobile, the planned nationwide terrestrial 5G network in the United States. Deployment is scheduled to begin in 2027, with tens of thousands of sites to be equipped over the multiyear agreement.
Qualcomm did not disclose financial terms. It told Reuters the agreement was its biggest 5G deal yet. Durga Malladi, executive vice president at Qualcomm Technologies, told reporters he had a high degree of confidence in SpaceX’s commitment, but declined to disclose financial terms or contractual guarantees.
The agreement covers the QRU100 platform for radio units, the QDU100 platform for distributed units, and commercial-grade Layer 1 software. The radio units will use Massive MIMO with 64 transmit and 64 receive paths, known as 64T64R.
It means many antennas on a tower working together to send and receive data at the same time will raise capacity in crowded areas.
“Building a nationwide network demands high performance and power efficiency at every site. Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms bring together advanced Massive MIMO, purpose-built processing and commercial-grade Layer 1 software to help Starlink deliver an exceptional nationwide network,” said Durga Malladi, EVP & GM, Technology Planning, Edge Solutions, and Data Center, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “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.”
Michael Nicolls, senior vice president of Starlink, said dropped calls at home and on the road should not still happen, and described Starlink Mobile as a combined satellite and ground network intended to keep people connected in more places.
Why satellites alone fall short
Starlink already provides a phone service in the United States, but it does not sell it as a carrier. It supplies the satellite link for T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service, which fills gaps where towers do not reach and supports messaging and limited data in those areas.
That service shows the limit SpaceX is trying to fix.
- A tower sits a few kilometers from a phone.
- A satellite sits hundreds of kilometers away.
Bernstein analysts put current direct-to-cell download speeds at roughly 3 Mbps, against median 5G speeds of 173 Mbps at AT&T, 214 Mbps at Verizon and 309 Mbps at T-Mobile.
Outgoing T-Mobile chief financial officer Peter Osvaldik rejected the idea that satellite-to-phone service can compete with a terrestrial 5G network.
Spectrum and satellites came first
On Oct 6, the Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX to launch and operate up to 15,000 next-generation satellites for direct-to-device service, in very low orbits of 326 to 335 kilometers.
Half must be in place and operating by Oct 7, 2032.
SpaceX also holds spectrum for the ground network. It agreed in September 2025 to buy EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H-block licenses for about $17 billion.
On Oct 8, it agreed to buy Grain Management’s nationwide 800 MHz portfolio, up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum, in a deal reported at about $8 billion in cash.
That purchase still needs FCC approval.
Low-band airwaves at 800 MHz travel farther and penetrate buildings better than higher frequencies, which matters for indoor coverage.
Towers remain the hard part
Bloomberg reported in October that SpaceX was in talks with tower owners for access to at least 80,000 cell sites in the United States, with Crown Castle among them. Nothing has been signed, and no company has confirmed the talks.
On an Oct 21 earnings call, Crown Castle chief executive Chris Hillabrant declined to discuss individual customers and said, “You can assume that we’re talking to all parties.”
The Qualcomm deal covers tens of thousands of sites, not 80,000, and it covers equipment, not tower leases.
SpaceX still must secure sites, permits, power, backhaul and crews to install and maintain the gear.
What Qualcomm gains
Qualcomm is primarily known for its chips used in phones. In the tower equipment market, it will compete with Marvell, Broadcom, and Intel. The company already supports 5G networks in Japan and Vietnam.
A multiyear build means coverage will arrive market by market, and indoor coverage will depend in part on whether the FCC approves the 800 MHz purchase.
