EL7.AI
StocksMedium•23 October 2026•
4 min read

Report: SpaceX Seeks Access to 80,000 U.S. Cell Sites Amid Talks with Operators

Key Facts

1SpaceX is seeking access to at least 80,000 cell sites in the United States.
2Crown Castle shares rose as much as 10% in after-hours trading, while AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile shares fell about 5%.
3American Tower has about 42,000 sites in the United States, compared with about 40,000 for Crown Castle and 18,000 for Vertical Bridge.
4TD Cowen estimates that building a U.S. ground network would cost more than 80 billion dollars.

SpaceX is seeking to secure access to at least 80,000 cell sites in the United States and is in talks with at least one cellular infrastructure company, according to a report published on October 23. The report names Crown Castle among the companies it is speaking with and does not identify American Tower as a party to the talks. It cited American Tower, alongside Crown Castle and Vertical Bridge, as one of the largest owners of cell towers. The discussions concern access to sites, and potential deals with SpaceX could be worth billions of dollars. But the report did not announce a completed deal or signed partnership.

The figures reflect the scale of the infrastructure the company is targeting: access to 80,000 sites is equivalent to about half of the 158,500 purpose-built U.S. communications towers reported for the previous year, according to Reuters. Crown Castle operates about 40,000 cell towers in the United States, while American Tower owns about 42,000 U.S. sites and Vertical Bridge has about 18,000 sites. These figures show that available sites are spread among major operators, with Crown Castle specifically named among the parties in talks with SpaceX. American Tower's inclusion among major owners does not establish that it is involved in the negotiations. The company declined to comment on the report.

On an earnings call on October 21, Crown Castle CEO Chris Hillabrant said the company was talking to all parties, but declined to disclose details about specific customers. The report quoted him as saying: "You can assume we're talking to all parties." Hillabrant did not name customers or confirm a specific deal on the call. SpaceX and Vertical Bridge also did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the report. These remarks leave the scope of the discussions open without providing independent confirmation of their terms or outcomes.

Tower companies' shares posted gains in extended trading following Bloomberg's report on the talks. Crown Castle rose as much as 10% in late trading, while American Tower gained more than 5% in trading on October 22, according to Reuters. By contrast, telecom companies AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile shares fell about 5% over the same period, according to The Business Times. The share moves reflect differing market reactions between tower-site owners and mobile service providers, amid the possibility that SpaceX could enter the wireless communications market with a mix of satellites and ground infrastructure. American Tower closed at $181.57 and SpaceX at $144.75 on October 22, according to EL7 data.

SpaceX's plan rests on both a space-based and a ground-based component. The company received Federal Communications Commission approval to launch 15,000 satellites designed to provide direct-to-phone service, according to the report published on October 23. In a decision issued on January 9, 2026, the commission authorized deployment of an additional 7,500 second-generation satellites, bringing the total authorized number to 15,000, with direct connectivity to phones outside the United States and supplemental coverage within it. Elon Musk said the company would build ground networks to provide broad connectivity wherever SpaceX and Starlink are allowed to operate. He was quoted as saying: "We will build our ground networks to provide broad connectivity wherever SpaceX and Starlink are allowed to operate."

Tower sites are typically used to host telecom companies' equipment; they lease space because it costs less than owning and maintaining sites, and facilities can also be shared. TD Cowen estimates that building a ground network covering the United States would cost more than 80 billion dollars and require many years and billions more in spending. This comes as American Tower recorded revenue growth in the second quarter of 2026: total revenue rose 4.7% to 2,749 million dollars, while property revenue increased 6.3% to 2,688 million dollars year over year. The company's CEO, Steve Vondran, said leasing demand was strong across its global tower portfolio and that the company had raised its annual outlook for the second time during the year. These indicators place SpaceX's talks in a market where tower companies rely on leasing, while building a national wireless operator requires significant spending on ground networks alongside satellites and spectrum.