Deutsche Telekom CEO casts doubt on SpaceX's plan to make Starlink Mobile a major US carrier

Summary

Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges, whose company owns T-Mobile, cast doubt on SpaceX's plans to make Starlink Mobile a major carrier in the US. On an earnings call on Thursday, he said he takes the Elon Musk-owned company 'super serious' but that it would cost at least $200 billion to pull off. A separate TechRadar report says Starlink Mobile would need to invest a minimum of $200 billion in spectrum, towers and antennas, according to a telecoms executive that outlet describes as T-Mobile's chairman. The Verge's headline quotes Höttges saying 'Welcome to the party.'

Timeline

1. The Verge

   5 Nov 2026, 23:17 UTCSource ↗

   The Verge reports that Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges, speaking on an earnings call, said he takes SpaceX's plan to make Starlink Mobile a major US carrier 'super serious' but that it will cost at least $200 billion, and its headline quotes him saying 'Welcome to the party.'

2. TechRadar

   6 Nov 2026, 17:10 UTCSource ↗

   TechRadar reports that Starlink Mobile will need to invest a minimum of $200 billion in spectrum, towers and antennas, according to a major telecoms executive whom its headline identifies as T-Mobile's chairman.