EchoStar Is Powering Up SpaceX’s Smartphone Dreams—& Inside The $17 Billion Shock Deal!

On September 8, 2025, EchoStar made headlines by announcing a landmark $17 billion agreement to sell its AWS-4 and H-block wireless spectrum licenses to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The deal, split evenly between cash and stock, marks SpaceX’s largest financial outlay to date and signals a dramatic push into the cellular connectivity space. In addition to the spectrum acquisition, the agreement includes a long-term commercial arrangement between the two companies, enabling EchoStar’s Boost Mobile users to access Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell satellite services. The acquisition also comes on the heels of a $23 billion spectrum deal between EchoStar and AT&T, which allowed EchoStar to stabilize its debt-heavy balance sheet. Facing mounting regulatory pressure from the FCC to actively deploy or divest its underutilized licenses, EchoStar has opted to offload key assets. As traditional telcos like AT&T and T-Mobile react to the implications, this acquisition could redefine how mobile data is transmitted—by blending terrestrial and orbital infrastructure.