SpaceX Buying EchoStar Satellite Spectrum for $17 Billion
EchoStar said the deal should end FCC inquiries into the company's spectrum licenses.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2025 – EchoStar announced Monday it had reached a deal to sell more of its spectrum licenses, this time to Elon Musk’s SpaceX for about $17 billion. EchoStar said it expected the deal to resolve Federal Communications Commission inquiries into its spectrum holdings.
The company is planning to sell its AWS-4 and PCS H-block licenses, about 50 megahertz in total, for $8.5 billion in cash and $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock (which is not publicly traded). SpaceX will also pay $2 billion toward existing EchoStar interest payments through November 2027.
SpaceX will also gain access to EchoStar’s mobile-satellite service licenses, allowing it to use the same AWS-4 airwaves to boost its direct-to-device capabilities. EchoStar’s mobile subscribers will be able to access the service as part of the deal.
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