SpaceX in talks to acquire Boost Mobile parent EchoStar

SpaceX is pursuing an acquisition of, or a network-use agreement with, EchoStar, the parent company of US mobile carrier Boost Mobile, according to The Washington Post, which cited multiple sources. The companies have discussed the matter over recent months.

Boost Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator that leases capacity from AT&T and T-Mobile. Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile, which is also operated by EchoStar, had about 7.38 million subscribers at the end of the second quarter of 2026.

Buying Boost Mobile would give SpaceX an existing subscriber base, distribution channels and access to a terrestrial network. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have declined SpaceX's requests for network access, according to the report.

SpaceX has agreed to buy about $8 billion of 800 MHz band spectrum licenses from Grain Management and is negotiating rights to at least 80,000 existing cell site locations across the US.

Musk points to AI bandwidth demand

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said on October 20, 2026, that growth in AI agents will push communications bandwidth demand to 1000 times current levels within 3 to 5 years. The company aims to build a network connecting smartphones as well as AI agents, autonomous vehicles and robots.

Musk met EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen in person in October 2026 to conduct negotiations, according to the report. In October 2026, SpaceX also agreed to buy $17 billion worth of wireless spectrum from EchoStar.