SpaceX is in talks with cellular infrastructure companies to secure access to at least 80,000 US sites, reportedly, as it pursues a nationwide wireless network. The sites would equal about half of the 158,500 purpose-built US cell towers operating last year.
SpaceX is in talks with cellular infrastructure companies to secure access to at least 80,000 sites across the United States. It is also in talks with mobile infrastructure provider Crown Castle, which operates about 40,000 US cell towers; American Tower operates about 42,000 US sites, while privately held Vertical Bridge owns around 18,000.
TD Cowen estimated that a nationwide terrestrial network would cost more than $80 billion and require many years and billions of dollars in additional spending. Crown Castle CEO Christian Hillabrant said Wednesday the company was talking to “all parties” when asked about potential leases with SpaceX and Amazon, but declined to discuss specific customers. Shares of AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile fell between 4.2% and 5% in extended trading.
