SpaceX picks Qualcomm chips for US 5G network, with rollout from 2027

A multi-year chip deal for the 5G network

Qualcomm said on Wednesday, 4 November, that SpaceX has selected its Dragonwing chips and software to power the ground-based 5G network behind Starlink Mobile, the company's planned US mobile service. The multi-year agreement covers tens of thousands of US cell sites, and the nationwide rollout is expected to begin in 2027. Qualcomm will provide the chips and foundational software for radio and baseband processing, while SpaceX develops additional software and other network elements itself. Qualcomm called the agreement its "biggest 5G deal yet." Its executive vice president, Durga Malladi, told reporters he had a high degree of confidence in SpaceX's commitment, but he declined to disclose financial terms or contractual guarantees.

Hardware and spectrum

Two chips will carry most of the network's essential technical work. The QRU100 sits inside the radio units mounted on each site, and the QDU100 processes the signals behind them. Qualcomm says both deliver more performance on less power, which matters for a network spanning tens of thousands of locations. The radios will also use Massive MIMO with 64 transmit and 64 receive antenna paths, letting them direct signals toward several phones at once. Starlink's senior vice president, Michael Nicolls, framed the goal in plain terms:

“We shouldn't live in a time where phone calls are still dropping whether you're at home or on-the-go.”

SpaceX spent much of 2025 expanding its spectrum holdings, including airwaves acquired from EchoStar, and plans to deploy the network across several frequency bands in successive phases.

Analysts question the path

Tim Farrar, president of TMF Associates, said spectrum and tower leases will matter even more than the equipment. He suggested that buying the remaining EchoStar spectrum assets and settling with the tower companies would be the easiest and quickest route, since Starlink intends to start deploying equipment in 2027. The Washington Post reported rumours that SpaceX is also looking to acquire Boost Mobile from EchoStar. A MoffettNathanson research note, cited by TeleCompetitor, considers it unlikely that Boost's MVNO agreements with T-Mobile and AT&T would transfer to Starlink Mobile. Joe Madden, principal analyst at Mobile Experts, estimates SpaceX will spend at least $100 billion on its combined satellite and terrestrial network, including spectrum. He expects a more efficient build than Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile, yet questions whether smartphone customers alone would justify the spending.

Wider ambitions

Axios argues that SpaceX's aims may extend beyond taking smartphone subscribers from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Satellite coverage could serve package-delivery drones, security robots, construction robots and autonomous delivery vehicles, where cellular coverage gaps make operations hard. Musk wrote on X that "Qualcomm's technology is excellent," and in another post added:

“at last there will be one network with good signal everywhere!”

Starlink restrictions in Ukraine

A separate dispute involves Starlink in Ukraine. LBC reports that restrictions earlier in October limited Starlink speeds to 160km/h, cutting connectivity for any weapon travelling faster. Reuters reported the order came from inside the White House, as a favour to Vladimir Putin. Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged the limits were a planned operation to stop Ukraine using interceptor systems against Russian drones. Analyst Nazarii Barchuk of the Ukrainian Security & Cooperation Centre said the restrictions led to the mass cancellation of critical operations and dealt a blow to trust between Ukraine and the United States. Sweden's TERASi, which is developing secure communications systems that armed forces can own and control, is making the case for independence. Its chief executive, James Campion, said:

“Ukraine should not be dependent on a single provider.”