Key facts
- Qualcomm will supply radio equipment, baseband units and software for Starlink Mobile's planned US terrestrial 5G network.
- Deployment is to cover tens of thousands of macro cell sites starting in 2027, Qualcomm said.
- Qualcomm did not disclose financial terms but said the agreement is "our biggest 5G deal yet."
- The deal puts Qualcomm in telecom infrastructure, competing with Marvell, Broadcom and Intel in cell tower chips.
- SpaceX aims to challenge AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile by combining satellite and terrestrial connectivity.
Qualcomm said on November 4, 2026, that it signed a multi-year agreement with SpaceX to supply radio equipment, baseband units and software for Starlink Mobile's planned nationwide terrestrial 5G network in the US. The equipment is to be deployed across tens of thousands of macro cell sites starting in 2027, Qualcomm said.
Qualcomm did not disclose the financial terms. It said in a statement that "this is our biggest 5G deal yet." The agreement expands Qualcomm's presence in telecom infrastructure, where it will compete with Marvell, Broadcom and Intel in supplying chips used in cell tower gear. Qualcomm, best known for smartphone chips, already helps power 5G networks in Japan and Vietnam.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, aims to build a nationwide US wireless carrier by combining satellite connectivity with a terrestrial network, taking on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. The report said questions remain about the feasibility of the plans given the investment required to compete with the three carriers, though SpaceX has been moving ahead with spectrum acquisitions and exploring deals with cell tower firms.
Qualcomm said the equipment would provide a flexible foundation for a multi-band network that can be deployed in stages. The initial rollout will focus on terrestrial 5G, with the architecture designed to accommodate later developments in connectivity and network intelligence. Qualcomm said its radio technology is designed to improve coverage, capacity and spectral efficiency, the amount of data that can be transmitted over a given amount of spectrum, and that advanced beamforming will help direct signals toward users so SpaceX can make more efficient use of its licensed spectrum.