Deutsche Telekom CEO questions cost of SpaceX Starlink Mobile launch

The chief executive of Deutsche Telekom, Tim Höttges, expressed skepticism on Thursday regarding SpaceX plans to establish Starlink Mobile as a primary wireless carrier in the United States. Speaking during an earnings call, Höttges stated that while he treats the Elon Musk-owned company seriously, entering the market at scale would require a capital investment in excess of 200 billion dollars. [1]

The Verge and Mezha.net reported on the remarks from Höttges, who leads the parent company and majority shareholder of T-Mobile US. Höttges highlighted the stark gap in network assets between the two companies, noting that Musk currently holds 76 megahertz of spectrum while T-Mobile holds 400 megahertz. Acquiring the necessary spectrum position to compete effectively would require spending in the triple-digit billions. [1][5][7]

T-Mobile US is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, and operates as the second largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 140 million subscribers as of September 2025. SpaceX operates the Starlink satellite internet network, which forms the infrastructure foundation for its direct-to-cell mobile expansion plans. [7][8]

Musk is the chief executive officer and largest shareholder of both Tesla and SpaceX. Forbes estimated his personal net worth at 1.1 trillion dollars as of October 2026, making him the wealthiest individual globally. [6]