SpaceX in talks for 80,000 U.S. cell sites to build fourth wireless carrier

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SPCX) is negotiating with cellular infrastructure companies for access to at least 80,000 U.S. sites, advancing plans to build a fourth nationwide wireless carrier. The company is in discussions with Crown Castle as it acquires low-band spectrum to expand Starlink mobile services. The proposed 80,000 sites represent about half of the 158,500 purpose-built cell towers operating in the U.S. last year. Crown Castle operates roughly 40,000 U.S. towers, American Tower about 42,000 and privately held Vertical Bridge around 18,000. TD Cowen estimates a nationwide terrestrial network could cost more than $80 billion and require years of additional investment. The competitive threat weighed on major U.S. carriers, with AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile shares falling between 4.2 percent and 5 percent in extended trading.