Overview

• SpaceX will acquire EchoStar’s AWS‑4 and H‑block licenses for up to $8.5 billion in cash and up to $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock.
• The agreement includes SpaceX funding about $2 billion of EchoStar’s cash interest payments through November 2027.
• EchoStar’s Boost Mobile customers are slated to gain access to Starlink’s next‑generation Direct to Cell service under a long‑term commercial deal.
• EchoStar says this transaction, alongside its $23 billion spectrum sale to AT&T, is expected to resolve the FCC’s inquiry into underused licenses; closing remains subject to regulatory review.
• SpaceX says exclusive access to the new spectrum will enable optimized 5G protocols and boost Direct to Cell capacity by more than 100x over its first‑generation system; EchoStar shares jumped after the announcement.