SpaceX Negotiates Access to 80,000 Cell Sites to Build Fourth US Wireless Carrier

SpaceX is actively negotiating access to at least 80,000 U.S. cell sites with tower operators including Crown Castle and American Tower to establish a fourth nationwide mobile carrier. The planned expansion aims to merge terrestrial tower infrastructure with its Starlink constellation following an $8 billion acquisition of nationwide 800 MHz spectrum. The development triggered sharp market divergence on October 23, 2026. Major cell tower REITs surged, with Crown Castle jumping as much as 13% premarket. Conversely, incumbent wireless carriers tumbled over competitive threats, with AT&T closing down 7.96% and T-Mobile dropping 7.71%.