SpaceX’s Starlink secures more spectrum and carriers as it surpasses 8 million customers

SpaceX is purchasing another $2.6 billion worth of wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, a… expansion From a $17 billion deal announced in September, satellite internet company Starlink continues to win new customers around the world.

The spectrum sale comes just one day after SpaceX announced it had surpassed 8 million global customers. On Thursday, the company added more commercial contracts to this total. The international airline group has announced that it will install Starlink in-flight internet on more than 500 aircraft across its group, which includes British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus.

The additional EchoStar spectrum will be used to grow Starlink’s emerging “direct-to-cell” constellation, which initially allows T-Mobile customers to access 5G satellite internet.

EchoStar began offloading its spectrum licenses earlier this year After pressing From the FCC and the Trump administration. Trump personally asked EchoStar CEO to sell licenses, According to Bloomberg.

Its sale to SpaceX in September ended EchoStar’s plans to build a direct-to-device satellite constellation. However, SpaceX wasn’t the only buyer of the EchoStar spectrum. In August, the company It sold $23 billion The value of AT&T’s spectrum licenses.

The deal with International Airlines Group will see Starlink added to aircraft starting in 2026. The European group will make Starlink available on short-haul, long-haul and global routes — essentially every aircraft not scheduled for retirement, according to a press release.

Starlink has been creeping across the airline industry in the past few years. I started with small planes and private jets In 2022but soon established major business partnerships with Hawaiian airlines Being the first. United Airlines announced a deal to integrate Starlink internet in late 2024 and later The rollout accelerated earlier this year. Qatar Airways is equipped Dozens of its wide-body aircraft With Starlink this year as well.

All this helped SpaceX degree Over 8 million Starlink customers in 150 different countries. This is higher than 6 million June.