SpaceX has partnered with Qualcomm to deploy cellular infrastructure for Starlink Mobile’s planned nationwide mobile network in the United States, as the satellite operator steps up its challenge to traditional telecommunications companies.
Under the multi-year agreement, Starlink Mobile will use Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure technology, including Massive MIMO radio units, to expand network coverage, increase capacity and improve spectral efficiency.
The deployment will combine radio equipment, baseband units and software to support large-scale cellular base station installations, with tens of thousands of sites expected to be deployed over the agreement period.
SpaceX is targeting a nationwide rollout of Starlink Mobile in 2027.
Durga Malladi, Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Technology Planning, Edge Solutions and Data Centre at Qualcomm, told Bloomberg that the planned installations would rival the number of sites operated by major telecommunications companies.
He described SpaceX as “very committed and serious”, adding that Qualcomm’s confidence in the project was extremely high.
Michael Nicolls, Senior Vice-President of Starlink, said the partnership would support the development of a fully integrated nationwide satellite and terrestrial network designed to maintain connectivity regardless of users’ locations.
Beyond the immediate 5G deployment, the two companies have also agreed to collaborate on the development of AI-native 6G infrastructure.
Qualcomm said the current terrestrial network deployment would establish a foundation for future connectivity and intelligence through energy-efficient processing and an open, evolvable architecture.
Hybrid network model
The agreement reflects the growing importance of combining conventional terrestrial infrastructure with satellite direct-to-device services to extend mobile connectivity.
Luke Pearce, principal analyst at FDM CCS Insight, said the partnership aligned with the firm’s prediction that satellite direct-to-device services would require complementary terrestrial networks.
He described the project as a significant undertaking, noting that the resulting network would need to be competitive enough to justify the scale of investment.
Pearce added that a successful deployment in the United States could provide a model for international expansion by Starlink and potentially other satellite operators and smaller mobile network operators.
He also said the project could accelerate the adoption of Open RAN and 6G technologies, creating opportunities for Qualcomm.
Qualcomm reports weaker quarterly earnings
The SpaceX announcement came as Qualcomm released its fiscal fourth-quarter results, reporting an 8 per cent year-on-year decline in revenue to $10.4 billion.
Net income fell 23 per cent to $2.4 billion during the quarter.
Revenue from its handset business, which supplies chips for smartphones, dropped 26 per cent to $5.1 billion. However, its automotive business recorded an 89 per cent increase to nearly $2 billion, while Internet of Things revenue rose 4 per cent to $1.9 billion.
Speaking to CNBC, Qualcomm Chief Executive Officer Cristiano Amon attributed the company’s performance pressures partly to an ongoing memory shortage, describing the challenge as one of supply rather than demand.
“If I had more supply, I would probably be doing better,” he said.
