SpaceX is reportedly seeking at least 80,000 U.S. cell sites.
Bloomberg reported on Oct. 22 that SpaceX is in talks with cellular infrastructure companies, including Crown Castle, citing people familiar with the matter. Reuters later summarized the report and said Crown Castle, American Tower, Vertical Bridge and SpaceX did not immediately respond to its requests for comment. No lease agreement has been announced.
The reported target is enormous
For scale, 80,000 sites would equal just over half of the 158,500 purpose-built cellular towers that the Wireless Infrastructure Association said were in operation in the U.S. at the end of 2025. That comparison is imperfect because cell sites and towers are not identical, but it shows why the report drew attention across the telecom sector.
Reuters reported that Crown Castle operates about 40,000 U.S. cell towers, American Tower has about 42,000 U.S. sites and privately held Vertical Bridge owns around 18,000. If SpaceX tried to reach the reported scale through leases, tower companies could gain a large new tenant while incumbent carriers face another possible national competitor.
Asked during Crown Castle’s Oct. 21 earnings call about potential leases with SpaceX, Amazon or other satellite telecom providers, CEO Chris Hillabrant declined to discuss specific customers and said the company was talking to all parties, according to Reuters.
Why SpaceX would still need the ground
Direct-to-phone satellite coverage can extend service beyond the reach of conventional towers. Dense mobile service in cities and suburbs still depends heavily on tower-mounted radios, backhaul, spectrum reuse and core network infrastructure.
The sites would not replace Starlink’s satellite network. They would add the terrestrial layer needed for Starlink Mobile to behave more like a conventional wireless carrier in high-demand markets, especially where capacity, indoor coverage and city-scale reliability matter.
SpaceX has been assembling the other pieces
On Oct. 8, Grain Management announced a definitive agreement to sell 100% of its nationwide 800 MHz spectrum portfolio to SpaceX. Grain said the transaction, which still needs FCC approval and other customary closing conditions, would support Starlink Mobile service from the ground and space.
Earlier in October, the FCC authorized SpaceX to deploy and operate a 15,000-satellite direct-to-device constellation under conditions. That authorization does not mean the full service is live. It gives SpaceX a regulatory path to build part of the satellite layer.
Incumbents are already pushing back
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman told analysts on Oct. 26 that a SpaceX terrestrial buildout would likely require 65,000 to 80,000 macro sites, backhaul, radio access network equipment and substantial spectrum. He estimated it would take at least four to six years and cost US$300 billion to $500 billion over seven or eight years.
That is an incumbent’s view, not an independent cost study. Still, it captures a core tension in the report: if SpaceX wants to compete as a nationwide mobile carrier, it may need many of the same expensive ground assets that make wireless networks hard to replicate.
Musk responded to the timeline on Oct. 26, posting on X: “Will take 2 or 3 years.” His reply did not specify a deployment milestone or provide a cost estimate.
What this means for Canadian readers
The reported talks are about U.S. infrastructure. They do not confirm a Canadian tower deal, a Canadian launch plan or any change to mobile service in Canada.
If a hybrid satellite-and-terrestrial model proves viable in the U.S., Canadian operators and regulators will likely watch closely because the same tradeoffs exist in any large country with dense cities, rural gaps and expensive network builds.
What remains unconfirmed
The reported talks do not disclose pricing, timing, equipment plans, network coverage or retail plans. For now, the report should be read as a serious sign of intent rather than a finished network.
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