SpaceX is planning Starlink Mobile

SpaceX has filed a trademark application for Starlink Mobile, indicating possible plans to launch a mobile carrier service built on its expanding satellite network.

The company submitted the application to the US Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 16. The filing is awaiting assignment to an examiner, according to the agency’s website. The document lists telecommunications services, including personal cellular offerings and two-way transmission of text, voice and audio.

Starlink delivers broadband service from space through a network of thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit. The unit has played a major role in boosting SpaceX’s valuation, which could reach as high as $800 billion in a current tender offer. An initial public offering could come as early as late next year, according to the report.

SpaceX is working with T-Mobile US Inc. to provide satellite-based connectivity in areas with no traditional cellular coverage. The partnership uses Starlink’s network to reach locations without land-based signals.

Elon Musk has previously acknowledged broader ambitions for the service. In a September appearance on the All-In podcast, he said establishing an independent mobile carrier was “one of the options” under consideration. Such a move would place SpaceX in direct competition with major US carriers including AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc.

SpaceX has taken steps that could support a larger mobile strategy. In September, the company completed a $17 billion deal to acquire wireless spectrum from EchoStar Corp. The purchase expanded Starlink’s capacity to offer mobile service directly to consumers and strengthened its position in the telecommunications market.

The trademark application marks another step in SpaceX’s efforts to widen Starlink’s reach as it evaluates opportunities beyond satellite internet. The potential for a mobile carrier service adds to speculation about the company’s future plans as it continues rapid growth across multiple business lines.