Qualcomm said on November 4, 2026, that SpaceX had selected its Dragonwing cellular infrastructure technology for Starlink Mobile’s planned nationwide U.S. 5G network. Under the multiyear agreement, the chipmaker said it would supply hardware and software for terrestrial base stations intended to complement Starlink’s satellite capabilities.
Qualcomm described the agreement as its largest 5G initiative to date. The announcement did not disclose financial terms. SpaceX chief financial officer Bret Johnsen has said the company aims to become a major U.S. mobile carrier.
The chipmaker said SpaceX planned to begin deployment in 2027, with tens of thousands of cell sites covered by the agreement. Its announcement did not give a date for completion of nationwide service or name cell tower partners. It also did not specify how many additional towers the planned cell sites would require.
Ground-based 5G infrastructure
Qualcomm said the base station architecture would use its Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms alongside software for cellular signal processing. The planned radio units have 64 transmit and 64 receive paths, a configuration known as 64T64R Massive MIMO.
The company says the architecture is designed to improve coverage, capacity and the efficient use of spectrum. Its platforms handle radio and baseband processing, with power efficiency among the stated design goals. Qualcomm also described the design as a foundation for a multi-band network that could be deployed in successive rollout stages.
“Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead,” said Durga Malladi, an executive vice president at Qualcomm.
Qualcomm’s involvement follows its earlier expansion into cellular infrastructure. In October 2020, the company announced a portfolio of 5G platforms for radio units and distributed units, targeting deployments ranging from large base stations to smaller installations.
Spectrum and Starlink’s business
SpaceX said in its third-quarter financial release that it had agreed on October 8, 2026, to acquire a nationwide portfolio of licenses covering up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band. The company expected the transaction to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.
SpaceX’s reported results also show the financial role of its Connectivity segment, which includes Starlink. For the quarter ended September 30, 2026, the segment accounted for about 36% of company revenue and 85% of operating income. SpaceX reported segment revenue of $5.25 billion and operating income of $2.37 billion for that period.
