# T-Mobile CEO: Starlink Mobile will need $200 billion

> Deutsche Telekom's Tim Höttges says Elon Musk's wireless ambitions will be far costlier than SpaceX may expect, but welcomes the competition.
- Title: T-Mobile CEO: Starlink Mobile will need $200 billion
- Summary: Deutsche Telekom's Tim Höttges says Elon Musk's wireless ambitions will be far costlier than SpaceX may expect, but welcomes the competition.
- Keywords: starlink mobile, spacex, t-mobile, deutsche telekom, tim höttges, elon musk, wireless carriers, spectrum, The Verge
- Source: The Verge — https://theverge.com/tech/1028346/t-mobile-deutsche-telecom-spacex-starlink-mobile
- Author: Emma Roth
- Published: 2026-11-05T23:17:10+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: starlink mobile, spacex, t-mobile, deutsche telekom, tim höttges, elon musk, wireless carriers, spectrum, technology, culture
## Starlink Mobile's $200 billion price tag
Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges says SpaceX needs at least $200 billion to build Starlink Mobile into a major US wireless carrier, speaking during an earnings call on Thursday.
## The spectrum problem
Musk has bought 76 megahertz of spectrum. Deutsche Telekom has 400. Höttges says acquiring enough spectrum to compete requires triple-digit billions of dollars.

> He has now bought 76 megahertz of spectrum. By the way, we have 400.
## Building the network infrastructure
Beyond spectrum, SpaceX must build or rent towers and install antennas. Höttges estimates this infrastructure alone costs $20 to $30 billion.

> Then he has to build a network. I can tell you, we have 85,000 towers.
## SpaceX's broader strategy
Musk plans to combine direct-to-cell satellites with a terrestrial network. Reports suggest SpaceX could tap 80,000 cell towers and acquire Boost Mobile.
## A new kind of competitor
Höttges warns that Musk's combination of satellites, chipsets, data centers and AI could create a fundamentally new type of communication service, not just another wireless carrier.

> He is creating a new way of communication services. That is why I'm saying I take that super serious.
## Welcome to the party
Despite the challenges, Höttges says he takes SpaceX seriously and welcomes the competition, comparing it to how the car industry underestimated Tesla.

> But it's not a free lunch. And you see that with Tesla as well in the car industry.
## Key takeaway

Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges says SpaceX needs at least $200 billion to build Starlink Mobile into a major US wireless carrier, but acknowledges Musk's potential to reshape the industry.