SpaceX has discussed a deal to buy Boost Mobile, the budget carrier owned by EchoStar, according to a Washington Post report cited by The Verge and TechCrunch. The talks are part of a wider plan to turn Starlink into what SpaceX describes as a major US mobile carrier, combining satellite coverage with a traditional terrestrial network.
Elon Musk reportedly raised the idea directly with EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen in October. Neither SpaceX nor Boost Mobile responded to requests for comment, and no agreement has been confirmed. Both outlets stress the discussions are reported, not announced.
Why SpaceX wants Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile does not own towers. It leases network capacity from AT&T and T-Mobile, which means a SpaceX takeover would likely need approval from those two operators, since network leases are usually non-transferable, according to sources cited by The Washington Post.
The attraction is not the subscriber base alone. Access to Boost's leased sites would cover most of the 48 contiguous US states, letting Starlink Mobile reach devices outdoors while cell towers handle calls and data when the satellite signal cannot. SpaceX already acquired wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar last year and recently bought a portfolio of low-band spectrum licenses meant to push Starlink signals inside buildings.
- Boost Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator that leases capacity from T-Mobile and AT&T instead of running its own towers.
- EchoStar counts around 7.5 million customers across Boost Mobile and its other service, GenMobile.
- SpaceX bought roughly $17 billion worth of wireless spectrum from EchoStar last year for cellular services.
