SpaceX agrees to buy 800 MHz licenses for Starlink Mobile

The company plans to combine satellite service with a terrestrial network, but its deal with Grain Management still needs FCC approval.

SpaceX has reached an agreement to acquire Grain Management’s entire nationwide portfolio of 800 MHz licenses. The transfer depends on approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other customary closing conditions, Grain said on October 8.

According to SpaceX, the portfolio covers up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum. The company plans to use the low-band frequencies as an additional coverage layer for Starlink Mobile. It says the signal should penetrate walls and other obstacles more effectively. The proposed architecture would combine a satellite-to-phone network with terrestrial infrastructure.

Grain received the licenses in an exchange with T-Mobile in August, transferring its 600 MHz spectrum to the carrier. SpaceX has already acquired 2 GHz licenses from EchoStar, including AWS-4, H-block and MSS. If regulators approve the new deal, the low-band spectrum would add to those resources.

Separately, the FCC this week authorized SpaceX to deploy up to 15,000 satellites for its direct-to-phone service. That decision concerns the satellite constellation and does not itself mean the regulator has approved the transfer of Grain’s licenses. SpaceX said its next-generation satellites could deliver more than 100 times the capacity of the current generation.

SpaceX describes Starlink Mobile as a future integrated network that would connect phones through satellites and ground infrastructure. The announcement did not specify a closing date or a launch timeline for the proposed architecture.