SpaceX has tapped Qualcomm Technologies to provide terrestrial base stations for the integrated satellite and terrestrial network it plans to build for Starlink Mobile.
Under the deal announced Wednesday, Qualcomm will provide its Dragonwing cellular infrastructure platforms. The Dragonwing QRU100 platform is designed to provide highly integrated processing for massive MIMO radio units.
SpaceX plans for U.S. nationwide deployment rollout to begin in 2027, planning that tens of thousands of sites will be deployed over the multi-year agreement.
SpaceX stated this deployment is focused on terrestrial 5G and the Dragonwing-powered radio unit and distributed unit building blocks “will help provide Starlink with a flexible foundation for a multi-band network deployed across multiple rollout waves.”
SpaceX has staked its intent to become a “major mobile carrier in the U.S.” and challenge the existing wireless market with Starlink Mobile. This agreement with Qualcomm gives more perspective into how SpaceX intends to achieve that.
Ian Fogg, research director for CSS Insight stated this announcement confirms SpaceX is building an extensive terrestrial network infrastructure for Starlink Mobile, alongside the direct-to-device constellation.
“We expect Starlink to use its satellite coverage to deliver national network reach — without requiring a mobile network operator partner for roaming — and use terrestrial 5G sites to support urban areas,” Fogg said in a research note. “This hybrid strategy will be attractive to new mobile operators in other countries. Previously, a new mobile entrant usually had to rely on regulatory intervention to secure a roaming deal on reasonable commercial terms.”
Fogg also noted this is a high-profile win for Qualcomm’s network business, which previously has Viettel in Vietnam and Japan’s NTT Docomo as its most prominent commercial deployments.
SpaceX announced the news on Wednesday, the day after Election Day in the U.S. SpaceX Founder Elon Musk was reported to be the largest single donor in the midterms, spending at least $474 million according to CNBC analysis, but his favored candidates in Texas lost their elections.
