SpaceX is apparently still hashing out how to get Starlink Mobile off the ground. It was reported a few days ago that it might buy Dish's abandoned 5G equipment. Before that, we had heard about other possibilities, such as a partnership with Charter or the acquisition of T-Mobile or Verizon.
SpaceX itself has only ever spoken about leveraging its Starlink broadband network to deploy a hybrid network. Yet another theory is now being floated.
When Dish sold its spectrum, it left its 5G infrastructure at the mercy of tower companies and struck deals with AT&T and T-Mobile to lease network capacity for Boost.
SpaceX has been in talks with EchoStar for several months as it explores ways to deploy its own terrestrial network.
A deal with Boost would give SpaceX a subscriber base and a distribution network, two things that would otherwise take considerable time to build. At the end of Q2, EchoStar had 7.38 million wireless customers through Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile.
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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is handling the deal personally and huddled with EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen last month.
There's a hitch, though: a deal cannot go through without approval from AT&T and T-Mobile.
Which route should SpaceX take
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Back to square one
Musk aims to enter the market in the next two to three years. | Image by Elon Musk
While SpaceX appears to be moving toward building a modern cellular network that will use a combination of satellites and land-based infrastructure to provide cellular service, every new report says something different. For instance, analysts recently suggested that SpaceX might buy Dish Wireless' abandoned 5G radios and antennas from tower companies like American Tower, which now owns the equipment.
Buying compatible equipment already installed on towers could give SpaceX a head start on its wireless terrestrial network build and throw a big bucket of cold water on Verizon's four-to-six-year timeline and $300-$500 billion estimate for SpaceX's buildout.
LightShed analysts, October 2026
Boost Mobile was on its way to becoming the fourth cellular network before a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) probe into EchoStar overs it failure to meet build-out requirements led to spectrum sales to AT&T and SpaceX. Dish Wireless then defaulted on payments to tower companies, claiming that the spectrum sale freed it from those obligations. The company was subsequently sued by tower companies.
The network gear has fallen into the hands of tower companies, which are free to do whatever they want with it. Luckily for SpaceX, Dish Wireless gear supports the 2GHz and 800MHz spectrum SpaceX is buying from EchoStar and Grain.
Wrong read?
With AT&T and T-Mobile unlikely to relinquish control of the industry, a deal with Boost seems unlikely. TMF Associates President Tim Farrar doesn't think SpaceX is making a play for Boost Mobile. He believes SpaceX is still after Dish Wireless' network. Boost might be spun off to Dish CEO Charlie Ergen's special purpose acquisition company, Conx, which would give Musk a clearer path to the network infrastructure without any purchase complications.
I'm not sure why this is pitched as SpaceX buying Boost, which the MNOs would try to veto. Clearly SpaceX wants the underlying DISH Wireless network. My assumption is that Boost is spunoff to CONX, unclear if that has change of control implications?
Tim Farrar , TMF Associates President, November 2026
Of course, Musk may be evaluating different options. Building out a network and securing the necessary financing are only part of the equation. Establishing a retail presence and acquiring a sizeable customer base are uphill tasks.
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon have a combined retail presence of around 17,000 outlets, according to Wave7 Research Principal Jeff Moore. Prepaid brands have another 16,000 outlets.
Purchasing Boost would be a more straightforward path to reaching wireless customers.
Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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