GoKawiilSpaceX in talks with Crown Castle for access to 80,000 US cell towers
SpaceX is reportedly negotiating with Crown Castle, one of the largest US cell tower owners, to gain access to at least 80,000 sites, according to Bloomberg sources. That would cover roughly half of the nation's 158,500 operating cell towers, per Reuters. Crown Castle's CEO declined to confirm specifics but said the company is in talks with multiple parties.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Pairing ground-based cell towers with its direct-to-cell Starlink satellite constellation could let SpaceX offer nationwide mobile coverage that rivals Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. The company's recent spectrum acquisitions, including a $17 billion EchoStar deal and FCC approval for 15,000 upgraded satellites, suggest it is building the regulatory and infrastructure groundwork to become a full-fledged carrier, though no deal with Crown Castle has been confirmed.
- SpaceX is reportedly negotiating with Crown Castle for access to roughly 80,000 cell sites.
- That figure represents about half of the 158,500 cell towers currently active in the US.
- SpaceX has also secured low-band spectrum and FCC approval for 15,000 V2 Starlink Mobile satellites.
Starlink Mini Satellite Kit — With SpaceX ramping up its direct-to-cell and satellite network ambitions, the Starlink Mini lets you experience their satellite connectivity firsthand in a compact, portable form. It's a great way to get reliable internet access off the grid, tying directly into the same satellite ecosystem powering this carrier expansion push.
See Starlink Mini Satellite Kit on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: theverge.com — Emma Roth, 2026-10-23
Published there as: “SpaceX’s mobile carrier push reportedly involves tapping into 80,000 cell sites”
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