SpaceX buys low-band spectrum for Starlink mobile push

SpaceX adds low-band coverage

SpaceX has filed for FCC approval to buy low-band spectrum licenses from Grain Management, as the company works to turn Starlink Mobile into a nationwide competitor to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. The deal covers up to 14 megahertz in the 800 MHz band, though the amount ranges from 4.85 megahertz to 14 megahertz depending on the county.

The FCC said in a July 2026 order that Grain's licenses cover approximately 100 percent of the US population. T-Mobile obtained the spectrum through its 2020 purchase of Sprint and was required to sell the licenses under a US government merger condition. Terms of the SpaceX and Grain deal were not disclosed.

Indoor and rural layer

SpaceX said the 800 MHz purchase addresses a technical gap for Starlink Mobile. It already agreed to buy 65 MHz of nationwide mid-band spectrum from EchoStar in a $17 billion deal approved by the FCC in May 2026, and it described 2 GHz mid-band spectrum as the capacity layer while low-band spectrum handles coverage.

In its filing, SpaceX said the low-band signal has long-range coverage, works through terrain and clutter, and penetrates buildings better than higher-frequency networks. It said most existing mobile devices already support the underused band and that deployment would use radios feeding sectorized antennas on towers, rooftops, and other structures.

Satellites and carrier response

SpaceX has launched 650 direct-to-device satellites for its current mobile service. The FCC on Tuesday approved its application to launch up to 15,000 next-generation satellites, which SpaceX said will deliver more than 100 times the bandwidth of the current generation and work with unmodified devices.

The big three US carriers have finalized a spectrum joint venture focused on satellite coverage for dead zones, while the Rural Wireless Association has opposed spectrum sales involving EchoStar and SpaceX. The FCC this week also proposed expanding satellite-to-mobile spectrum access in an expansion of the Supplemental Coverage from Space framework, including a possible 25 MHz mid-band auction and rule changes covering 482 MHz.

Sources: Ars Technica · The Register · Engadget · Techmeme