SpaceX Starlink Mobile’s Biggest Hurdle? Deutsche Telekom CEO Says Elon Musk Must Match T-Mobile's 85,000 Antennas

Deutsche Telekom AG (OTC:DTEGY) CEO Timotheus Höttges questioned whether Space Exploration Technologies Corp.‘s (NASDAQ:SPCX) Starlink Mobile can seriously challenge traditional U.S. wireless networks, arguing that satellite connectivity offers limited appeal where terrestrial service already works well.

Höttges Questions Starlink Mobile’s Coverage Advantage

"Why should I have to make calls over a satellite network when I can already get good coverage, or the best coverage, today?" Höttges said Monday during a Deutsche Telekom webcast.

Deutsche Telekom owns a majority stake in T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS). Höttges said SpaceX would face the costly task of matching carriers’ ground infrastructure. "We have 85,000 mobile antennas in America. [SpaceX CEO Elon Musk] has to build those first," he said, adding that Musk still has "many, many" hurdles to overcome.

His skepticism follows SpaceX’s agreement to acquire up to 14 MHz of nationwide 800 MHz spectrum, a move that sent T-Mobile, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) shares sharply lower last week. Deutsche Telekom shares fell 7% after the announcement as investors weighed a new competitive threat.

SpaceX Says New Spectrum Changes Equation

SpaceX argues the new spectrum addresses a major weakness in satellite-to-phone service. The company says on its website that low-band frequencies can travel farther and penetrate walls, while its planned network will combine satellites with terrestrial infrastructure to provide service "indoors, outdoors, in cellular dead zones, and everywhere in between."

SpaceX says its next-generation satellites will deliver more than 100 times the bandwidth of its current system. The FCC has also said SpaceX’s direct-to-device expansion could increase wireless competition and improve coverage in hard-to-reach areas.

Musk called the latest spectrum acquisition the "last critical piece" needed for complete U.S. phone coverage.

Existing Partnerships Complicate Competitive Threat

The criticism also comes from an existing SpaceX partner. T-Mobile already offers T-Satellite with Starlink, which uses ordinary compatible smartphones outside terrestrial coverage. T-Mobile said in January that the service connected more than 150,000 Americans daily, while its companies continue developing voice and broader data capabilities.

Deutsche Telekom itself plans to launch Starlink satellite-to-mobile service across several European markets in 2028, explicitly positioning satellites as a supplement where traditional towers cannot reach.

Höttges nevertheless warned carriers against helping SpaceX expand further through mobile virtual network agreements, saying cheap wholesale access could put their own retail pricing "under pressure."

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