SpaceX's Starlink mobile division may gradually shift from playing a supplementary role to existing phone networks toward competing more directly with traditional US wireless carriers.

SpaceX intends to take on leading American wireless operators such as Verizon and AT&T.

The company said on Thursday that it plans to acquire a set of nationwide low-band wireless spectrum resources, and it has already secured approval from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a next-generation Starlink mobile satellite constellation.

Elon Musk posted on X that these moves are "the last key piece of the spectrum puzzle for SpaceX to achieve complete mobile signal coverage across the United States."

SpaceX stated that this spectrum deal will secure up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum within the 800 MHz band.

Signals in this band can penetrate walls, allowing users to receive service even inside buildings, which is a core capability for competing with existing carriers.

SpaceX plans to use this spectrum in combination with its existing hardware system.

The company did not disclose the amount of the transaction, and the acquisition still requires final approval from the FCC.

SpaceX also plans to launch 15,000 next-generation satellites specially optimized for this new bandwidth, saying that this batch of satellites will further improve network connectivity quality.