Starlink Mobile is coming next year. | Image by Starlink
SpaceX selected Qualcomm Dragonwing cellular infrastructure to underpin its base station architecture. Base stations connect mobile devices to the broader infrastructure.
Specifically, SpaceX will deploy Qualcomm's QRU100 and QDU100 hardware solutions along with its Layer 1 (the lowest physical layer of the Radio Access Network) software.
The network will leverage Massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) — which uses multi-antenna tech to improve coverage and capacity — and energy-efficient baseband technology to enable a cost-effective nationwide rollout. The partnership will extend into the 6G era.
Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead.
Durga Malladi, EVP & GM, Technology Planning, Edge Solutions, and Data Center at Qualcomm Technologies, November 2026
SpaceX aims to begin deploying its 5G network next year, rolling out tens of thousands of sites over several years.
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We shouldn’t live in a time where phone calls are still dropping whether you’re at home or on-the-go. Starlink is building the first fully-integrated nationwide satellite and terrestrial network that will keep people connected no matter where they are.
Michael Nicolls, Senior Vice President at Starlink, November 2026
Covering all bases
Legacy antenna vs Massive MIMO. | Image by Ericsson
Technical details reveal that Starlink Mobile will use Massive MIMO radio units with 64 transmit and 64 receive paths for advanced antenna capabilities.
Qualcomm's Dragonwing solutions will provide processing for Massive MIMO radio units and Layer 1 to achieve efficiency. Qualcomm's radio unit and distributed unit technologies will allow SpaceX to use multiple frequency bands, enabling a phased rollout.
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Ultimately, both companies envision a high-performance, power-efficient nationwide network combining satellite and terrestrial components.
A worthy rival to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon
A multi-year partnership. | Image by Elon Musk
SpaceX initially painted the picture of a network that would rely heavily on satellites, but the company is now building out standard terrestrial infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission is trying to unlock more spectrum for SpaceX, which currently holds under 89 MHz of spectrum compared to the roughly 300 MHz held by each of the Big Three.
Spectrum is the fundamental building block of any wireless network. SpaceX's pace suggests it might bid aggressively in upcoming auctions to close the gap as much as possible, with satellites filling any remaining coverage shortfalls.
At last there will be one network with good signal everywhere!
Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, November 2026
Satellites remain the main edge
The real story isn't just that SpaceX is using a vendor that has also worked with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. It's that SpaceX is making tangible moves toward constructing a mobile network, which will function much like legacy networks, except there likely won't be any blackouts thanks to the satellite fallback layer.
SpaceX is hard at work readying a cellular network:
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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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