Qualcomm signs 5G infrastructure agreement with SpaceX for Starlink Mobile's nationwide network in US
SpaceX has selected Qualcomm to provide Dragonwing cellular infrastructure platforms for its Starlink Mobile nationwide terrestrial 5G network in the United States.
The equipment will be deployed from early next year, with tens of thousands of sites planned over the multi-year agreement. This deployment supports SpaceX's ambitions to compete with established mobile carriers in the US, providing support for Starlink's terrestrial base stations.
Advanced Technology Deployment
Starlink will use Qualcomm's Massive MIMO radio units with 64 transmit and 64 receive paths (64T64R), which Qualcomm notes will bring "advanced antenna capabilities to its terrestrial network." This architecture is designed to improve coverage, capacity and spectral efficiency.
Building a nationwide network demands high performance and power efficiency at every site. Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms bring together advanced Massive MIMO, purpose-built processing and commercial-grade Layer 1 software to help Starlink deliver an exceptional nationwide network.
Market Expansion
The agreement bolsters Qualcomm's position in the telecoms infrastructure market, which it has previously supported for Vietnamese carrier Viettel's 5G launch and several Japanese mobile operators. For SpaceX, this comes as the company has publicly declared its intent to compete with AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
SpaceX has held talks to gain access to 80,000 cell sites across the US, with Crown Castle identified as one potential infrastructure partner. During last month's earnings call, CEO Elon Musk outlined plans to build out a competitive carrier network.
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