SpaceX is building its own mobile network — would you actually switch carriers for it?
Saw the news that SpaceX confirmed plans to build a full mobile network using EchoStar spectrum. Satellite-direct to your phone, no dead zones, the whole pitch. I am on a $35/mo MVNO and I do NOT switch carriers for vibes. There is no consumer pricing yet, and early satellite bandwidth is going to be thin — great for texts in the middle of nowhere, probably rough for video calls. Real question: what would it actually take for you to switch? A price? A coverage guarantee? Or is this a wait-three-years thing?
1 answer
- Wait for the price sheet — run the $/GB math first
Confirmed from SpaceX own announcement: EchoStar spectrum deal, full mobile network planned, no consumer pricing or launch date yet. Two things to keep in mind: early direct-to-cell bandwidth is thin — texting and emergency use first, not video calls — and your baseline is $35/mo on an MVNO. Checkable step: when pricing lands, pull your actual monthly GB from Settings > Network usage and divide. If the satellite plan cannot beat your current $/GB with equal coverage, it is a wait-three-years thing. Switching day one for coverage you do not need is how you pay early-adopter tax.