Elon Musk’s SpaceX Reportedly Talking With EchoStar About A Boost Mobile Deal

Elon Musk‘s SpaceX has held talks with EchoStar about acquiring Boost Mobile or using its network, according to a report.

The move would bolster the standing of the company’s Starlink subsidiary, which had 13.6 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter, a 90% increase over the same period of 2025.

The Washington Post, which reported the negotiations, said SpaceX had also approached Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile but was rebuffed.

EchoStar sold wireless spectrum to SpaceX last year, attaining a minority stake in the company ahead of its blockbuster IPO in June.

Boost Mobile, which was acquired by EchoStar subsidiary Dish Network in 2020 as part of a broader wireless play, ended 2025 with 7.5 million subscribers. It has historically focused on lower-income customers. As a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, it does not own its own wireless equipment but instead rents capacity from AT&T and T-Mobile.

Musk has vast ambitions for SpaceX, which he is looking to position as a provider of a wide array of services. Starlink internet service has been a popular option in rural areas, but it has been heavily marketed across the U.S. and other countries. The rise of Starlink has put pressure on legacy broadband providers like Charter and Comcast, with the new report about Boost Mobile also rattling wireless carriers.

“Veterans of the cellular industry look at the chess board of existing pieces and don’t see a solution,” the Post quoted Musk as saying recently. “They don’t understand that SpaceX is developing entirely new pieces that fundamentally alter the strategic landscape.”

EchoStar shares rose 4% in early trading Monday, with AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile stocks all losing ground.