Verizon CEO gave SpaceX 8 years. Musk says 3
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman thinks SpaceX has a long way to go if it wants to compete with America's big mobile carriers. On Verizon's third-quarter earnings call on Monday, he said SpaceX would need $300 billion to $500 billion, up to 80,000 cell towers and as long as eight years to build a network that could match Verizon's.
Elon Musk replied quickly. "Will take 2 or 3 years," the SpaceX CEO posted on X after the call.The exchange comes at a tense time for US telecom companies. Earlier this month, SpaceX bought low-band spectrum in a deal worth about $8 billion. These airwaves work well for phones, and the news sent Verizon's shares down nearly 9% in one day, the stock's worst day since 2002. SpaceX is also reportedly working to secure at least 80,000 cell sites across the US, and it has approached tower owners including Crown Castle.
Verizon CEO says Starlink satellites can't compete in cities
Schulman did not dismiss Musk. He said he works on the assumption that SpaceX will do everything it says it will do, and "execute flawlessly". His argument was that satellites alone cannot match a ground network in cities and suburbs, which account for about 98% of Verizon's revenue. "We're somewhere between 100 to 1000 times more efficient than they are," he said.To close that gap, Schulman said, SpaceX would need 65,000 to 80,000 large tower sites, along with backhaul, radio equipment and more spectrum.
He estimated the build would take at least four to six years, with spending spread over seven or eight. Retail stores, customer service and back-office systems would come after that."There is no magic wand. There is no shortcut," he said.
would be the sixth player in US wireless, not the fourth
Schulman added that even a finished network would make SpaceX the sixth competitor in the US market, not the fourth. Verizon's network already carries Spectrum Mobile and Xfinity Mobile, two large cable-backed operators.
He also ruled out renting Verizon's network to SpaceX through a wholesale deal, saying he sees no benefit in offering one to a satellite provider."It's very hard to throw a punch against something that doesn't exist. But once they come into the market, we will be ferociously competitive," he said.SpaceX plans to switch on Starlink Mobile in early 2028, using next-generation satellites, ground towers and small home cells.
Last week, Musk told investors that Starlink connectivity could eventually bring in several hundred billion dollars a year.Verizon is not the only carrier playing down the threat. Last week, AT&T CEO John Stankey said he "wouldn't over-rotate" on one carrier's low-band spectrum.Verizon's own quarter was strong. The company added 406,000 postpaid phone customers and raised its full-year earnings forecast.