SpaceX Reportedly Seeks 80,000 U.S. Cell Sites for Starlink Mobile
SpaceX reportedly seeks 80,000 U.S. cell sites for Starlink Mobile through talks with infrastructure providers.
Crown Castle Inc., one of the largest owners of cell sites in the U.S., was identified in the report as one of the companies in talks with SpaceX. Crown Castle CEO Chris Hillabrant was quoted as saying during an earnings call, “You can assume that we’re talking to all parties.” Android Authority reported that he was responding to a question about whether the firm had held leasing discussions with SpaceX, Amazon and other satellite-based providers.
Android Authority said such a deal should theoretically give Starlink Mobile a firm foundation for a proper mobile service to rival U.S. carriers. The report cited T-Mobile as having claimed a year ago that it had 82,715 towers across the country, while noting it was unclear whether that figure included smaller cell nodes.
SpaceX confirmed earlier this year that it intended to enter the mobile network business, according to Android Authority. The report also said the company had recently acquired spectrum that could potentially improve indoor coverage.