Elon Musk Says SpaceX Can Outgrow Earth. The First Victim May Be Your Phone Bill

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Space Exploration Technologies Corp sees its next major growth opportunity in monthly phone bills.

With Starlink moving toward a nationwide mobile network, the Elon Musk-led rocket and satellite company is positioning itself to challenge the carriers that connect millions of Americans.

Musk made his ambitious prediction in an Oct. 8 post on X.

This will sound super crazy, but I see a path to SpaceX being worth orders of magnitude more than the current Earth economy — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 8, 2026

This will sound super crazy, but I see a path to SpaceX being worth orders of magnitude more than the current Earth economy

SpaceX has already agreed to acquire Grain Management 's nationwide portfolio of low-band wireless spectrum licenses, advancing its push to compete with Verizon Communications Inc. , AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile Us Inc .

The agreement covers spectrum in the 800 MHz band and remains subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission. SpaceX's official announcement says the licenses will complement Starlink Mobile's existing satellite capabilities with terrestrial connectivity.

The technical distinction matters. Low-band signals can travel farther and penetrate obstacles like walls more effectively than higher-frequency signals. SpaceX says combining these frequencies with its satellite network could deliver indoor and outdoor connectivity, addressing a persistent limitation of satellite-to-phone services.

The FCC has also authorized SpaceX to deploy 15,000 next-generation Starlink satellites optimized for mobile connectivity. Together, the spectrum acquisition and satellite expansion move the company closer to offering a more comprehensive mobile service.

Starlink has built a substantial satellite broadband business, but competing for mainstream wireless subscribers opens a different market. Rather than serving primarily as an alternative where terrestrial coverage is weak, SpaceX could eventually compete for customers who already pay established carriers every month.

That creates a new challenge for telecom investors. If Starlink Mobile offers competitive pricing and reliable coverage, traditional carriers could face pressure on subscriber growth, pricing power or both. The risk is particularly relevant in a mature market where attracting customers from competitors can be difficult and expensive.