U.S.-based satellite communications provider EchoStar has agreed to sell spectrum licences worth approximately $17 billion to SpaceX.
The deal covers all of EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H-block spectrum licences.
Under the agreement, up to $8.5 billion will be paid in cash, with a further $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock. The deal also includes provisions for SpaceX to fund around $2 billion in interest payments on EchoStar debt through November 2027.
The transaction will establish a long-term commercial partnership, enabling EchoStar’s Boost Mobile subscribers to access SpaceX’s “next-generation” Starlink Direct to Cell service via its cloud-native 5G core.
EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan said the agreement “continues our legacy of putting the customer first, combining EchoStar’s spectrum with SpaceX’s rocket and satellite capabilities to deliver direct-to-cell services in a more innovative, economical and faster way globally.”
In wireless communications, spectrum refers to the range of radio frequencies that support telephone, internet, and satellite services.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment