Competitor estimates SpaceX's entry into mobile market at minimum $200 billion
Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges stated that creating a major Starlink Mobile operator will require enormous investments in spectrum and ground network. He called Elon Musk's plans a serious threat to the industry
The CEO of Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, estimated SpaceX's potential costs for establishing a major mobile operator in the U.S. at a minimum of $200 billion. This was reported by The Verge, citing his remarks during a discussion of financial results.
According to Tim Höttges, SpaceX has acquired 76 MHz of spectrum, while T-Mobile holds approximately 400 MHz. He believes expanding spectrum resources will require investments amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars. An additional $20–30 billion may be needed for access to tower infrastructure, aside from equipment costs.
The stated $200 billion is an estimate from a competing company's executive, not SpaceX's announced budget.
Starlink Mobile plans to combine direct-to-smartphone satellites with a terrestrial mobile network. This week, Qualcomm announced collaboration with SpaceX to develop its infrastructure.
Despite skepticism regarding the costs, Höttges emphasized that he takes the project seriously. In his view, the combination of satellites, AI, and digital services could enable SpaceX to offer a new format of connectivity.
