SpaceX's Starlink Surpasses 8 Million Customers, Expands Wireless Reach

Shares of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet business have reached a significant milestone, passing 8 million global customers, as the company continues to expand its wireless spectrum licenses and secure new commercial contracts. The latest development comes as SpaceX announced it is buying an additional $2.6 billion worth of wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, an expansion of a $17 billion deal announced in September. This acquisition is expected to support the growth of Starlink's nascent direct-to-cell constellation, which initially allows T-Mobile customers to access satellite-based 5G internet. According to SpaceX, the additional EchoStar spectrum will be used to enhance the company's direct-to-cell constellation, enabling faster and more reliable internet connectivity for users. "This acquisition is a significant step forward for our direct-to-cell constellation, which will provide faster and more reliable internet connectivity to users around the world," said a SpaceX spokesperson. The company's direct-to-cell constellation is a key component of its plans to provide global internet coverage, and the additional spectrum will help to support the growth of this network. The acquisition of EchoStar's spectrum licenses comes just a day after SpaceX revealed it had secured a major commercial contract with International Airlines Group (IAG), which will see Starlink's inflight internet service installed on more than 500 aircraft across its portfolio, including British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus. "We are excited to partner with IAG to bring high-speed internet connectivity to passengers on flights around the world," said a SpaceX spokesperson. This deal marks a significant expansion of Starlink's inflight internet service, which is already available on several airlines. The sale of EchoStar's spectrum licenses to SpaceX is also significant, as it marks the end of EchoStar's own plans to build a direct-to-device satellite constellation. EchoStar had been under pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Trump administration to sell its spectrum licenses, with Trump personally telling EchoStar's CEO to sell the licenses, according to Bloomberg. The sale of the licenses to SpaceX effectively ended EchoStar's plans to build a direct-to-device satellite constellation, with the company instead opting to focus on other business ventures. The acquisition of EchoStar's spectrum licenses is also a significant development in the broader context of the satellite internet industry. As the demand for high-speed internet connectivity continues to grow, satellite internet providers like SpaceX are playing an increasingly important role in providing global coverage. The additional spectrum acquired by SpaceX will help to support the growth of its direct-to-cell constellation, enabling faster and more reliable internet connectivity for users around the world. In related news, SpaceX has also been working on developing its next-generation satellite constellation, which is expected to provide even faster and more reliable internet connectivity. The company has already launched several prototype satellites for this constellation, and is expected to begin deploying the full constellation in the coming years. As the satellite internet industry continues to evolve, SpaceX is well-positioned to play a leading role in providing global internet coverage. As of now, SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet business continues to expand its customer base, with over 8 million global customers. The company's acquisition of additional spectrum licenses from EchoStar is expected to support the growth of its direct-to-cell constellation, enabling faster and more reliable internet connectivity for users around the world. With its commercial contracts with IAG and other airlines, SpaceX is also expanding its inflight internet service, providing high-speed internet connectivity to passengers on flights around the world.