Niederfrequenzen: SpaceX fordert US-Mobilfunker heraus – Frenquenz-Kauf belastet T-Mobile US & Co

SpaceX, the aerospace company and Starlink satellite operator, is challenging established US mobile carriers such as T-Mobile US and Verizon. On Thursday, SpaceX announced the acquisition of a nationwide portfolio of low-frequency spectrum to offer mobile connections directly from space to smartphones. The seller of the 800-megahertz frequencies is the financial investor Grain Management, which is submitting its entire portfolio.

Financial details were not disclosed. This purchase enables SpaceX to overcome one of the major technical obstacles for satellite-based mobile networks. The low frequencies can better penetrate obstacles like walls or trees. They are intended to complement the existing global 2-gigahertz spectrum of Starlink Mobile, which is designed for high bandwidth.

FCC approval is still required for the business. The move caused concern among investors on the stock market, as they fear an aggressive price war on the already saturated US mobile market. Shares of T-Mobile US, Verizon, and AT&T fell by more than five percent in after-hours trading on Wall Street. The FCC had also approved the request for the second generation of Starlink Mobile satellites earlier this week, allowing SpaceX to launch 15,000 satellites into space. These satellites are optimized for the 2-gigahertz spectrum.