SpaceX Taps Qualcomm to Power Its Own 5G Network Across the US

SpaceX has chosen Qualcomm to supply the core technology for a nationwide 5G mobile network that will support its Starlink Mobile service in the United States, with rollout scheduled to start in 2027. The deal, announced by Qualcomm on November 4, adds a new chapter to the company's ambitions of competing with established American carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

Under the multi-year agreement, Qualcomm will provide its Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms to power the ground-based cellular stations that form the backbone of the network. SpaceX intends to deploy tens of thousands of these sites across the country, combining satellite connectivity with conventional mobile infrastructure to extend coverage.

The network will be built on Qualcomm's Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms, together with commercial-grade Layer 1 software. The infrastructure supports Massive MIMO radio units with 64 transmitting and 64 receiving paths, a configuration known as 64T64R, which is designed to improve network coverage, capacity and spectrum efficiency so that each site can handle more traffic.

In this setup, the QRU100 platform manages processing for the radio units, while the QDU100 handles time-sensitive Layer 1 processing. Qualcomm says the combination is intended to boost overall network performance while lowering power consumption at the sites.

Deployment will take place in multiple phases using different frequency bands, with the full build-out expected to span the length of the agreement. SpaceX has not yet said when consumers will be able to sign up for the mobile service, leaving pricing and availability details to be announced at a later stage.

The partnership signals a growing convergence between satellite and terrestrial communications, as companies look to blend the two to reach areas where traditional mobile coverage is weak or unavailable. For Qualcomm, the agreement represents a significant endorsement of its cellular infrastructure portfolio from one of the world's most prominent space and connectivity firms.