Investor Gene Munster said in a post on X that he believes SpaceX will eventually make a phone, despite CEO Elon Musk suggesting otherwise. The comments come after SpaceX agreed to acquire nationwide low-band spectrum.
“Elon says he doesn’t want to make a phone. I still think $SPCX eventually will,” Munster wrote on X Thursday.
“A vertically integrated handset on a Starlink mobile network could deliver features carriers can’t match, and cheaper service,” he added.
Munster also said that such a development would pose a greater threat to Samsung Electronics than to Apple Inc., whose “device and services tie-in is harder to break.”
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Musk recently announced the acquisition of spectrum in the 800 MHz band, describing it as a major milestone in providing satellite-based cellular connectivity across the United States.
“This is the last critical piece of the spectrum puzzle,” Musk wrote in an X post, quoting a post by influencer and Tesla Inc. investor Sawyer Merritt. Merritt said the acquisition of the 800 MHz spectrum would enable “better indoor coverage” and provide “signals that can penetrate walls and other obstacles.” Musk added that the spectrum would help SpaceX provide “complete phone coverage in America.”
Musk also responded to investor and “All-In Podcast” host Chamath Palihapitiya, who had commented on Musk’s post on X.
“This is a very big deal,” Palihapitiya said.
“To the casual observer, this won’t seem like much,” Musk replied. “To those who understand the spectrum wars, it’s an earthquake,” he added.
The 800 MHz band is considered low-band spectrum, allowing signals to travel relatively long distances and penetrate buildings and other obstacles more effectively than higher-frequency signals.
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SpaceX has agreed to acquire a nationwide portfolio containing up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band from Grain Management. The company says the low-band spectrum will complement its existing 2 GHz spectrum and help Starlink Mobile provide connectivity to devices inside buildings.
On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced its approval for SpaceX to deploy 15,000 Starlink Mobile satellites for mobile satellite services (MSS). The FCC also said SpaceX would not need to enter into leasing agreements with terrestrial carriers to provide the service.
However, telecom operators remain skeptical of SpaceX’s satellite-based approach, which could also rely on femtocells, small cellular base stations designed to improve indoor connectivity. AT&T Inc. CEO John Stankey has expressed doubts about SpaceX’s cellular service ambitions, citing regulatory hurdles and technological limitations.