Qualcomm announced a partnership with SpaceX on Wednesday to develop Starlink Mobile, a nationwide US terrestrial 5G network. Qualcomm will provide Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 5G platforms for the network. Qualcomm said SpaceX plans to start deployment across the United States in 2027. Qualcomm said the multiyear agreement covers the deployment of tens of thousands of sites.
Qualcomm said the infrastructure will employ a 64T64R architecture. Each antenna panel will contain 64 individual transmitters and receivers to deliver coverage. The QRU100 integrates processing for Massive MIMO radio units and supports the radio operations required by the 64T64R architecture. The QDU100 performs high-performance Layer 1 baseband processing for functions sensitive to latency.
SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Michael Nicolls argued that people should no longer experience dropped calls at home or while traveling. Qualcomm executive Durga Malladi said the partnership advances 5G infrastructure in the United States and could establish a foundation for AI-native 6G in coming years. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk responded to the announcement on X on Wednesday. Musk wrote, "Qualcomm's technology is excellent," while quoting a post from Qualcomm CEO Cristiano R. Amon.
Traditional telecom operators have reacted to Starlink's expansion into cellular networks with concern and anger. Musk said late last month that Starlink was adding elements to cellular service that could fundamentally change the industry. Musk also predicted that the service would cause major disruption across the telecom industry.
However, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman said during Verizon's Q3 2026 earnings call that collaboration with SpaceX might be possible. Schulman warned that Verizon's MVNO agreements offered no indirect routes to access. Schulman said extending an MVNO agreement to any satellite provider offered no apparent benefit. Executives across traditional telecom companies believe regulatory obstacles, technological constraints and physical limitations will prevent satellite providers from competing with terrestrial networks.
SPCX shares fell 1.77% to $133.52 in Wednesday's overnight trading.
SpaceX and Qualcomm Partner to Build Starlink Mobile 5G Network in the US
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Summary
SpaceX and Qualcomm are building a Starlink Mobile 5G network in the US, part of a major network upgrade set to launch in 2027. The project uses Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms, with a 64T64R architecture for coverage. SpaceX’s Michael Nicolls said the goal is to eliminate dropped calls, while Qualcomm’s Durga Malladi mentioned future AI-native 6G potential. Verizon’s CEO Dan Schulman questioned the value of satellite MVNO deals. SPCX shares dipped 1.77% overnight. The move adds to AI + crypto news as satellite and telecom sectors evolve.
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