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If AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon don't improve in a key area, Musk will buy one of them

SpaceX fires another warning shot at the Big Three.

By Anam Hamid

Updated: Nov 09, 2026, 7:49 AM

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SpaceX might make better use of their spectrum. | Image by PhoneArena

SpaceX and Qualcomm may have announced plans to collaborate on SpaceX's terrestrial network, but that hasn't stopped observers from wondering if the news is just a ploy to bring AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to their knees. In his own way, CEO Elon Musk might just have alluded to that.

The case for a fourth carrier

Baron Capital founder Ronald Baron recently asked Musk how legacy carriers plan to meet growing user demand with their current spectrum. Musk responded that SpaceX can use its spectrum cache far more efficiently, adding that if SpaceX can make better use of spectrum than AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon in the future, he intends to scoop up the worst offender.

I think SpaceX will be able to get very far with the spectrum that it’s acquired, but, you know, at a certain point, if we’re able to make much better use of the spectrum than, say, a legacy telco is, we could just acquire that legacy telco and use that spectrum, you know, ten times more effectively.

Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, November 2026

In a separate interview, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon revealed more details about the agreement. Amon stated that it will be one of the largest 5G deployments in the US.

We're working together. And we announced that they are going to build a terrestrial network. It's going to be one of the largest 5G deployments in the United States.

Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm CEO, November 2026

SpaceX will build its own base stations, while Qualcomm will supply radio silicon and RAN accelerators. The network will use an AI-native architecture.

I think SpaceX is going to be building their base stations. We provide the silicon for the radio, the accelerator on the RAN, and it's going to be an AI-native architecture. That's exciting. It's going to bring a lot of innovation, I think, into the cellular industry.

Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm CEO, November 2026

Musk later reaffirmed his excitement about working with Qualcomm on "breakthrough technologies."

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What's Musk hinting at?

What's the plan?

Time for a new approach? | Image by Walter Piecyk

Silencing rumors that the announcement was merely a tactic to pressure the Big Three into an MVNO deal, Amon clarified that the partnership is official and the two companies are already working together.

Even so, the incumbents would love to remind SpaceX that it doesn't have nearly enough spectrum and the infrastructure to rival what they have built over the years.

By emphasizing efficiency, SpaceX is attempting to silence those critics. Besides, with more auctions lined up and SpaceX reportedly in talks with tower companies, it's making progress.

As TMT analyst Walter Piecyk points out, decades of investment by legacy carriers hasn't been enough to ensure reliable quality. He is pinning his hope on SpaceX, which has already demonstrated out-of-the-box thinking with its rockets, to break through current limitations.

Former Qualcomm senior director Samir Khazaka offered another perspective, noting that assembling these pieces doesn't necessarily mean SpaceX will build a nationwide network. It could be making these moves to use as leverage with the Big Three.

There are many benefits to SpaceX collaboration with Qualcomm but negotiating leverage is likely central.

Samir Khazaka, tech industry analyst, November 2026

What might Musk be thinking?

SpaceX is far too deep into this to just end up being an MVNO. What's likely is that it will pursue a hybrid model with its own terrestrial infrastructure in select locations, device-to-device connectivity in remote areas, and leased capacity where its own network can't reach.

The more interesting takeaway

Until now, incumbent carriers have talked down SpaceX's cellular ambitions. By bringing up efficiency, SpaceX has flipped the narrative, hinting that years of experience and deep spectrum holdings aren't all it takes to provide reliable connectivity everywhere. Alternatively, it may all come down to a matter of scale and economics.

How have the Big Three reacted?

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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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