SpaceX agrees to buy nationwide low-band spectrum for Starlink Mobile
publishers 20articles 20first reported 7 Oct, 14:35 UTCdeveloping since 7 Oct · 10 editions
SpaceX has agreed to acquire Grain Management’s nationwide portfolio of 800 MHz spectrum licenses, a move intended to expand Starlink Mobile into a major U.S. wireless carrier. The transaction covers up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum and remains subject to Federal Communications Commission approval.
SpaceX said the low-band frequencies would address a technical gap in its mobile network because their signals can penetrate walls and other obstacles, improving service inside buildings. Most existing mobile devices already support the band. The company plans to combine the spectrum with its satellite network and terrestrial infrastructure to offer connectivity indoors, outdoors and in areas lacking conventional cellular coverage.
The low-band holdings would complement Starlink Mobile’s 2 GHz mid-band spectrum, which SpaceX plans to use for higher-capacity service. The company also said the FCC recently authorized it to deploy 15,000 next-generation Starlink Mobile satellites optimized for 2 GHz operations. SpaceX says those satellites could provide more than 100 times the bandwidth of its current generation and connect directly to unmodified phones.
Shares of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile fell in extended trading following Thursday’s announcement. Industry analyst Tim Farrar told CNBC that the acquisition intensifies competition with established mobile operators, while noting that the spectrum portfolio remains limited and that dependable urban building coverage would require ground-based towers.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 48 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 20
- Source articles
- 20
- Given to the writer
- 8, 3 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 48 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
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