Starlink Mobile is becoming the fourth major carrier, here’s how I think this will go down

SpaceX is not slowing down its ambitions to make Starlink Mobile, a potential fourth top dog carrier stateside to take on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon. The company has now announced the acquisition of more low-band spectrum, which is better for long-range coverage and can penetrate walls more easily, and stocks for the Big Three have responded poorly

Here’s the thing, Starlink Mobile has many doubters right now. From your everyday end consumer to executives at the Big Three, a lot of people have dismissed SpaceX’s ambitions.

They argue that Starlink Mobile can not and will not be a fruitful endeavor. That it will fail to provide reliable and consistent coverage and that it will never be able to match, let alone exceed, T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon.

I don’t buy it.

Starlink Mobile will be successful, in my opinion

Problem is, I’ve seen people dismiss Elon Musk’s projects before. Whatever your political views and personal opinions on Musk might be, the man has often delivered extraordinary scientific feats.

Sure, not all the time. Nor have all of his ideas delivered something practical or lasting, but it’s not like he’s just a rich charlatan. Musk has some fantastic ideas and he also has some excellent talent working for him.

There’s a reason he and his companies are everywhere nowadays. Major players across multiple industries are cutting deals with SpaceX and other Musk properties. Even T-Mobile uses Starlink’s services for satellite coverage in areas with dead zones.

I do truly believe that SpaceX will succeed in turning Starlink Mobile into a reality, just like it did with Starlink itself despite the countless individuals who confidently claimed that it could never be done. Here’s how I think Starlink Mobile is going to go down with the American people.

Initially, people will be skeptical

When Starlink Mobile finally starts selling its services to consumers, I reckon that adoption will be slow, especially in urban areas. Rural places with already weak coverage might be quicker to sign up if Starlink Mobile delivers better results there.

In addition, however, there will also be some loud online political mouthpieces, or “influencers”, who will immediately switch to Starlink Mobile and praise its service quality and reliability.

As Starlink Mobile grows, however, acquiring more spectrum and setting up more terrestrial infrastructure, some more people will begin considering switching if the prices are more palatable. To attract that initial wave of customers, Starlink Mobile may very well offer lifetime discounts and price-lock guarantees for a limited time.

Starlink Mobile will then explode in popularity

Now, obviously, this is just conjecture. Then again, this is an opinion piece. However, if Starlink Mobile refuses to sit idly by and meets all of its milestones, I think that by 2032 its subscriber base will start growing rapidly as its coverage begins to rival that of the Big Three.

Keep following that trajectory and, by 2035, it will have reshaped the industry and forced competitors into offering better prices.



In my eyes, like Google Fiber (what a blast from the past), Starlink itself, and electric cars and Tesla in general, Starlink Mobile will see explosive growth once it clears that initial hurdle of skepticism.

Once consumers across the States see it in action, whether on YouTube by their favorite tech reviewer or on a family member’s phone, they will realize just how good Starlink Mobile is. Assuming, of course, that in this scenario Starlink Mobile has hit all of its milestones and goals.

People will realize that SpaceX was not, in fact, kidding around, and has actually deployed something groundbreaking. If Starlink Mobile is able to offer what the Big Three now are not — price consistency year after year — then I see no world where people across the United States do not switch to Starlink Mobile en masse.

Being skeptical or wary of something new is natural, but it can only last so long once you realize how much you’re missing out on. Instead of mocking Starlink Mobile before it has even gone into operation, why don’t we cross our fingers for it to become the wake-up call the telecommunications industry needs.

What's been going on with the Big Three in the meantime?

• T-Mobile prepares for Tropical Storm Isaias
• Verizon is also preparing for Tropical Storm Isaias
• AT&T is having an odd moment with its systems

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