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Space
Space
Science
Tereza Pultarova

SpaceX buys $17 billion worth of satellite spectrum to beef up Starlink broadband service

SpaceX Starlink EchoStar Hamid Akhavan Astrology Earth
A small white rectangle on a black tripod rests on the ground.

SpaceX has bought $17 billion worth of satellite spectrum from debt-ridden operator EchoStar to enhance Starlink direct-to-cell phone performance.

The sale ends EchoStar's plans to build its own constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO) that would beam 5G connectivity directly to smartphone users in under-connected areas on Earth. The company, founded in 1980, operates a fleet of 10 geostationary satellites, offering internet broadband via satellite as well as satellite TV broadcasting.

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