SpaceX appears to be gearing up for a major push into the mobile carrier market. According to longtime Tesla and SpaceX watcher @SERobinsonJr, the company has officially filed a U.S. trademark for “Starlink Mobile,” covering a wide range of telecommunications services — including video and data to mobile phones, smart devices, and full-fledged cellular communication services. SpaceX also filed a separate trademark for “Powered by Starlink,” which applies to the same categories.
The filings strongly suggest that SpaceX is laying the groundwork for a proper satellite-powered mobile service, not just a partner-supported offering. It’s also a logical next step following the company’s massive $17 billion spectrum acquisition from EchoStar earlier this year, a deal that was explicitly positioned to support Starlink’s upcoming Direct to Cell expansion.
While Starlink’s satellite connectivity already touches smartphones today, it’s mostly through partnerships with existing carriers. T-Mobile is Starlink’s partner in the U.S., with Rogers supporting satellite connectivity in Canada. Starlink also recently teamed up with Entel to bring satellite phone service to Chile, and in the U.K., Virgin Media O2 is preparing to launch its own satellite cellular service powered by Starlink next year.
However, SpaceX has made it clear that it plans to move beyond partnerships. The company expects to begin testing Direct to Cell service on its own spectrum next year, and these new trademarks likely signal that SpaceX is preparing to brand and commercialize its first independent satellite cellular offering.
SpaceX already has about 650 Direct to Cell satellites in orbit, forming its first-generation constellation. The company is seeking FCC approval to deploy up to 15,000 next-generation Direct to Cell satellites to massively scale coverage and improve reliability as it ramps toward full global satellite mobile service — including coverage on its own spectrum.
While Elon Musk has said that Starlink’s future mobile service will function similarly to a traditional carrier plan, he also emphasized it won’t replace existing operators — at least not yet. But between new trademarks, a growing cellular-capable satellite constellation, and spectrum in hand, SpaceX looks closer than ever to launching Starlink Mobile as a standalone offering.
