According to Bloomberg, SpaceX is seeking to use 80,000 US base stations to build a wireless network.

Reuters, October 22 - According to a Thursday report by Bloomberg quoting sources familiar with the matter, SpaceX is in negotiations with mobile communications infrastructure companies to secure rights to use at least 80,000 base stations in the United States.

These agreements could solidify the company's progress toward becoming the fourth-largest wireless operator nationwide.

• It is reported that SpaceX is acquiring (link) nationwide low-frequency spectrum and is in talks with mobile infrastructure provider Crown Castle (CCI.N).

• According to TD Cowen, building a nationwide terrestrial network would cost more than $80 billion, require several years to complete, and call for additional investment of billions of dollars (link).

• According to the Wireless Infrastructure Association, these 80,000 base stations would amount to half the 158,500 dedicated mobile communications base stations operating in the United States last year.

• Crown Castle operates about 40,000 mobile communications base stations in the U.S., American Tower (AMT.N) owns about 42,000 sites in the country, and private company Vertical Bridge owns about 18,000 sites.

• When asked on Wednesday about potential leasing agreements with SpaceX and Amazon AMZN.O, Crown Castle CEO Christian Hillabrant said the company is in talks with “various parties” but declined to discuss specific clients.

• Crown Castle, American Tower, Vertical Bridge, and SpaceX all did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

• Shares of wireless carriers AT&T (T.N), Verizon (VZ.N), and T-Mobile (TMUS.O) fell 4.2% to 5% in after-hours trading.

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