Good signal everywhere: Elon Musk's Starlink partners with Qualcomm to build mobile network in US

Elon Musk's SpaceX will work with Qualcomm to build a cellular network that will work in tandem with Starlink satellites to deliver 5G coverage in the US.

In Short

• SpaceX partners with Qualcomm for Starlink Mobile
• It will use cellular network and satellites for 5G coverage
• Elon Musk claims it will provide good signal everywhere in US

While Starlink awaits its India entry, Elon Musk is expanding the service in the US. SpaceX is setting up Starlink Mobile, which would combine on-ground infrastructure with satellites to deliver 5G coverage in the US. The company signed a multi-year agreement with Qualcomm to use its Dragonwing platforms for cellular infrastructure.

SpaceX and Qualcomm announced the agreement on Wednesday. Qualcomm will supply radio equipment, baseband units and software for the network. Although the financial terms were not disclosed, the company described the agreement as its “biggest 5G deal yet.”

Elon Musk, who leads SpaceX, claimed that Starlink Mobile would provide decent coverage across the US. He wrote on X. “At last there will be one network with good signal everywhere!”

What is Starlink Mobile?

While Starlink already operates in the US, the satellite network is best suited for areas of low density. But Starlink Mobiles goes a step further, it would combine the existing web of satellites with terrestrial infrastructure for smartphone users across the US. It would also be the first fully integrated network of its kind in the US.

As per the deal, Qualcomm will supply its Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms and commercial-grade Layer 1 software to SpaceX. The two companies said that it also marks a “commercial step” in their vision for “AI-native 6G infrastructure.”

The network will use Massive MIMO radio units with 64 transmit and 64 receive paths. This technology uses multiple antennas to send and receive signals and is designed to improve coverage, capacity and spectral efficiency.

Starlink Mobile will put Elon Musk and SpaceX up against existing US carriers. Musk had floated the idea of a Starlink mobile service in August this year. Back then, stocks of big three US carriers – T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T – dropped by up to 4 per cent.

There is some time before Starlink Mobile becomes a reality though. The rollout is scheduled to begin in 2027, with tens of thousands of sites to be deployed over several years. SpaceX has not given any details on the potential pricing for the mobile service.

This deal comes at a time when Starlink is facing scrutiny globally. Elon Musk had accused “certain oligarchs” in India of delaying approvals for Starlink, which sparked controversy online. The Ministry of Communications later called Musk’s claims “baseless and misconceived.”

Last month, Ukraine accused SpaceX of slowing down Starshield, the defence version of Starlink, claiming that it affected its military operations against Russia. Musk, at first, hinted that the White House may have been behind the slowdown. Though as per reports, the SpaceX CEO had given the order.

- Ends