# Starlink to become a US mobile carrier with 800 MHz deal, while Musk accuses Ambani of blocking India launch Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/technology/starlink-to-become-a-us-mobile-carrier-with-800-mhz-deal-while-musk-accuses) Type: News article Author: Searchable Editorial Published: 9 Oct 2026 Updated: 9 Oct 2026 Retrieved: 10 Oct 2026 > SpaceX is buying low-band spectrum so Starlink phones work indoors, and the FCC cleared 15,000 new satellites. In India, the minister says no monopolies after Musk's jab. What it means for Starlink in Pakistan. **Starlink** had two big days. In the US, **SpaceX agreed to buy nationwide low-band spectrum** that it says will turn **Starlink Mobile into a major mobile carrier**, and in India, **Elon Musk accused Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani** of blocking Starlink's launch, drawing a reply from the telecom minister on Friday 9 October, [The Express Tribune reported](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2633928/india-rejects-monopoly-claim-after-musk-accuses-ambani-of-blocking-starlink-launch). ## The US deal: 800 MHz for indoor coverage SpaceX announced on Thursday an agreement to acquire **up to 14 MHz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band** across the US, still subject to final approval by the Federal Communications Commission, [the Tribune reported](https://tribune.com.pk/story/2633893/spacex-strikes-spectrum-deal-paving-way-for-starlink-to-become-major-us-mobile-carrier). Low-band signals pass through walls, which fixes the main weakness of satellite-to-phone service: it struggles inside buildings. SpaceX says most phones already support the band. The plan is a mixed network: satellites for open country and places with no towers, plus ground equipment for indoor coverage, on top of Starlink Mobile's global **2 GHz** mid-band spectrum for capacity. The FCC also approved this week SpaceX's application for its next-generation constellation, **15,000 satellites** built for 2 GHz service, which SpaceX says will deliver **more than 100 times the bandwidth** of the current satellites, straight to ordinary phones with no add-on hardware. The market took it seriously. Verizon's shares were heading for their worst day since 2002 on Friday as traders priced in a new rival for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, CNBC reported. ## The India row: "Is Ambani the real boss of India?" Musk wrote on X on Thursday that Starlink is licensed in more than 165 countries and has spent five years meeting India's requirements, "so why still no license? Is Ambani the real boss of India?" He gave no evidence against Ambani, whose **Reliance Jio** leads India's mobile market with **Bharti Airtel**. Jio did not respond. "India does not allow a monopoly in any sector," Telecom Minister **Jyotiraditya Scindia** said on Friday. Starlink already holds an Indian licence, but a commercial launch still needs it to meet security conditions and receive spectrum. The government said on Thursday that all three licensed satellite operators, Starlink included, are at broadly the same stage, and called claims of unfair treatment "baseless and misconceived". ## What it means in Pakistan Starlink is not on sale in Pakistan yet. When we last checked in September, it had met **one of the four requirements** for a launch and had not applied to the PTA for a licence: [Starlink in Pakistan, where it stands](/news/technology/starlink-in-pakistan-1-of-4-launch-requirements-met-no-pta-licence-request-yet). The US phone plan matters here because direct-to-phone satellite service would let ordinary handsets get a signal in areas towers do not reach, from Balochistan's highways to the valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan, if the PTA ever allows it. India's fight shows the sticking points any regulator raises: security clearance and who gets the spectrum. Until then, home internet in Pakistan means fibre, 4G devices or the new 5G home routers: [Zong's Z HomeFi prices](/news/technology/zong-5g-home-internet-z-homefi-rs-22000-device-packages-from-rs-4500-a-month). Buying a phone abroad to bring home? Work out the duty with our [PTA mobile tax calculator](/tools/telecom/pta-mobile-tax-calculator). ## Frequently asked questions **Is Starlink available in Pakistan?** Not yet. As of September 2026 Starlink had met one of four launch requirements and had not applied to the PTA for a licence. ## Sources - SpaceX strikes spectrum deal, paving way for Starlink to become major US mobile carrier (The Express Tribune): https://tribune.com.pk/story/2633893/spacex-strikes-spectrum-deal-paving-way-for-starlink-to-become-major-us-mobile-carrier - India rejects monopoly claim after Musk accuses Ambani of blocking Starlink launch (The Express Tribune (Reuters)): https://tribune.com.pk/story/2633928/india-rejects-monopoly-claim-after-musk-accuses-ambani-of-blocking-starlink-launch - Verizon stock heads for worst day since 2002 as SpaceX U.S. network plans whack telcos (CNBC): https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/09/verizon-att-tmobile-stocks-spacex-network.html How to cite: "Starlink to become a US mobile carrier with 800 MHz deal, while Musk accuses Ambani of blocking India launch", Searchable, 9 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/technology/starlink-to-become-a-us-mobile-carrier-with-800-mhz-deal-while-musk-accuses