SpaceX Files ‘Starlink Mobile’ Trademark Hinting at Satellite-Powered Phone Service
SpaceX has filed a trademark for "Starlink Mobile," indicating plans to offer a mobile carrier service combining satellite and cellular connectivity. This move includes a $17 billion spectrum acquisition from EchoStar, enabling global service. SpaceX aims to launch next-gen satellites for smartphone connectivity by 2026, potentially revolutionizing satellite-to-phone communication.
SpaceX is laying the groundwork for a major expansion of its telecommunications ambitions. A new trademark application for “Starlink Mobile” indicates the company is preparing to offer a true mobile carrier experience—one that could blend satellite connectivity with traditional cellular service and eliminate coverage gaps for good.
The trademark filing, submitted in October to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, outlines services that go beyond conventional satellite internet. It specifically references real-time voice, audio, video, and data connectivity for mobile phones and smart devices, along with “cellular personal communication services.” SpaceX also filed a companion mark, “Powered by Starlink,” hinting at broad integration across the wireless ecosystem. (via PCMag)
The timing is no coincidence, as SpaceX has been quietly assembling the pieces needed to launch a mobile service. That includes a massive $17 billion deal to acquire valuable wireless spectrum from EchoStar. That spectrum will allow Starlink to provide mobile service globally—no need for individual country-by-country negotiations.
Today, Starlink’s direct-to-cell capabilities are already rolling out through partnerships with carriers like T-Mobile in the U.S., Rogers in Canada, and KDDI in Japan, using terrestrial spectrum. The offering is mainly intended as a lifeline in dead zones, also ideal for messaging, social media, and lower-resolution video calls when no cell tower is nearby. But the EchoStar airwaves are expected to be a game changer, giving the system enough capacity to reach speeds comparable to 4G LTE.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell has previously said the company plans to begin launching its next-generation satellites equipped with S-band payloads within the next two years, with the first smartphone-based connectivity tests planned as early as late 2026. Those satellites—SpaceX is aiming to add as many as 15,000—will form the backbone of a network that could finally make seamless satellite-to-phone connections a reality.
