Elon Musk's SpaceX announced earlier that it would acquire the wireless spectrum assets held by Echostar, a US telecommunications company specializing in satellite communications, wireless telecommunications and Internet services, for US$170 billion (approximately NT$5600 billion). The assets include 50MHz of US S-band and Global Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum, in order to enhance the mobile communication capabilities of the Starlink satellite network and accelerate the realization of the development goal of "global connectivity without blind spots."
According to announcements from both parties, SpaceX will complete the acquisition with $85 billion in cash and $85 billion in privately traded shares, and will assume Echostar's approximately $2027 billion in debt interest as of the end of 20.
In addition to spectrum transfer, users of Echostar's Boost Mobile service will also be directly connected to Starlink's direct mobile phone service. In the future, they will be able to maintain network connections even in remote areas where traditional cellular signals are not available, thereby improving the user experience.
The next generation @Starlink Direct to Cell system will deliver unparalleled performance with the world's most advanced satellites, exclusive spectrum, and Starship's unprecedented payload capacity → https://t.co/Bh5l6DRaay pic.twitter.com/qeyRZ4abh9
- SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 8, 2025
SpaceX stated that this spectrum acquisition will increase the communication capabilities of its satellite mobile network by more than 100 times, further expanding Starlink's network coverage and data transmission capacity. SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell stated that this acquisition is a key step toward achieving seamless global connectivity. In the future, Starlink will become a truly global communications infrastructure comparable to terrestrial mobile networks, closing Earth's last signal black spots.
From an industry perspective, this acquisition will strengthen SpaceX's spectrum advantage in the low-Earth orbit satellite communications market. This will enable Starlink to more rapidly implement satellite-to-mobile connectivity solutions, particularly amidst the global push for NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) standardization, widening the gap with competitors like AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global. As SpaceX continues to launch second-generation Starlink satellites and expand capacity, combined with the acquired spectrum resources, mobile users are expected to enjoy a faster and more stable direct internet experience.
Overall, this transaction not only represents a key piece in SpaceX's spectrum strategy but also marks a new phase in Elon Musk's ambition to build Starlink into a global mobile network infrastructure. SpaceX has repeatedly accused Echostar of deliberately hoarding spectrum, and this acquisition effectively resolves the spectrum dispute between the two parties.
