SpaceX has inked a deal to purchase nationwide low-band spectrum licenses for its planned terrestrial mobile network, aiming to fill a key technical gap and potentially challenge AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

The deal sees SpaceX buy up to 14 megahertz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band from investment firm Grain Management, which had acquired the rights from T-Mobile in 2020. This spectrum, covering about 100% of the US population, will complement SpaceX's space-based Starlink, providing better coverage and penetration through buildings.

Meanwhile, SpaceX has also received US approval to launch 15,000 satellites for an upgraded version of its mobile service. This mid-band spectrum, totaling 65 MHz nationwide, will offer high-bandwidth capacity and support existing mobile devices.

The combined spectrum strategy is designed to give Starlink Mobile a competitive edge, ensuring coverage and signal quality in areas where traditional services struggle. However, the deal could face opposition from small carriers, who fear it may disadvantage rural wireless providers.

The big picture in US mobile spectrum is complex, with a total of about 1.1 GHz of licensed spectrum allocated to mobile operators, dominated by the big three. SpaceX's ambitious plans suggest a future where space meets Earth in the quest for better mobile connectivity.