SpaceX’s partnership with T-Mobile has helped bring satellite messaging closer to everyday phone users, but a new filing suggests the company may be thinking much bigger in the long run. While T-Mobile’s T-Satellite service is one of the highest-profile examples of Starlink mobile connectivity, SpaceX appears to be building toward a future where it depends less on traditional wireless carriers.

As reported by PhoneArena, SpaceX says it already has 9,600 Starlink broadband and mobile satellites in low-Earth orbit and works with 30 network operators around the world. The company also says 650 V1 Mobile satellites are currently supporting messaging, over-the-top voice apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime, and light data, reaching 7.4 million devices each month across 30 countries.

The bigger shift could start in 2027, when SpaceX plans to begin deploying next-generation V2 satellites built to handle broadband data and IoT connectivity. The company has also bought AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licenses from EchoStar, with that deal expected to close in late 2027.

For now, SpaceX still needs carrier partners because current smartphones do not fully support the NR-NTN standard required for satellite-native 5G, and the company does not have direct deals with phone makers. Even so, the filing makes clear that SpaceX sees satellite-to-mobile service as more than a backup option.

That matters for T-Mobile because Starlink is already central to its satellite push. But if SpaceX keeps expanding its technology and spectrum position, today’s partner could eventually become a company that no longer needs as much help from the wireless industry.

Source: PhoneArena