Starlink's Expansion Includes the Acquisition of Light Mobile Phones at Regular Frequencies

In a significant move, SpaceX, the operating company behind Elon Musk's satellite internet service, Starlink, has announced a multi-billion dollar acquisition of radio frequencies for satellite internet services. The company acquiring these frequencies from satellite company EchoStar is expected to bolster the capabilities of Starlink's satellite internet service.

The acquisition, worth approximately $17 billion, is a strategic move for SpaceX. Starlink has been working with traditional mobile network providers up until now due to a lack of frequency rights. With this acquisition, Starlink aims to bring internet directly from space to smartphones, a capability that its satellites are technically capable of providing.

It's important to note that this acquisition does not affect the $17 billion deal between EchoStar and AT&T for the same frequencies. The sale of frequency rights by EchoStar to AT&T took place after the SpaceX acquisition and involved different frequencies. The sale to AT&T was for a higher value of $25 billion.

EchoStar, the satellite company selling the radio frequencies, has been under pressure from the U.S. telecommunications regulator, the FCC, due to complaints from SpaceX about inactive satellite and mobile frequencies.

The acquisition by SpaceX is expected to make it easier for Starlink to provide internet from space, a move that could revolutionise the satellite internet industry. Starlink has been launching satellites into space since last year, and with the acquisition of these frequencies, it is one step closer to realising its goal of providing global satellite internet coverage.

This acquisition is a significant development in the growing satellite internet market and is expected to further boost SpaceX's ambitions in this sector. With Starlink's satellites already in space and capable of providing internet directly to smartphones, the future of satellite internet looks promising.