Elon Musk’s SpaceX has unveiled plans to enter the US mobile service market with its Starlink product, aiming to challenge established giants like Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile. The move comes as SpaceX prepares for heightened investor expectations following its successful IPO.

The company's president, Gwynne Shotwell, hinted that SpaceX could build a dedicated terrestrial network in the US, potentially shifting from its current role of providing satellite services to telecoms partners to becoming a direct competitor in mobile contracts. This would mark one of SpaceX’s most significant commercial expansions since Starlink began operating globally.

While SpaceX has so far focused on supplying satellite connectivity to rural areas, a direct-to-consumer mobile service could offer access to a much larger market and reduce reliance on telecoms partners as intermediaries between satellites and end users. Analysts believe that SpaceX might take a commission from revenues generated by customers who combine Starlink satellite services with their mobile plans.

The plans were disclosed during recent IPO roadshows, just days after SpaceX's landmark public offering. This move could significantly change the landscape of US telecommunications and potentially lead to more competition in the multibillion-dollar market.