SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has suggested that subsidiary Starlink could become a mobile carrier in the future.

Musk made the comments during an appearance on the All-in-Podcast earlier this week, shortly after SpaceX sealed a $17 billion deal to acquire spectrum from EchoStar.

As part of that acquisition, SpaceX has snapped up EchoStar's AWS-4 (Advanced Wireless Spectrum) and H-block spectrum licenses.

When asked whether Starlink could become a global carrier that provides satellite-based cellular services worldwide, Musk noted that it could be an option.

“That would be one of the options,” Musk said.

Ironically, EchoStar's two high-profile spectrum sales in the last fortnight have effectively ended their own hopes of being a viable fourth carrier to the "Big Three" carriers in the US; AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

Earlier this week, AT&T CEO John Stankey noted that that even with the EchoStar spectrum, it wouldn't be enough to create a "robust terrestrial replacement," but did say it could happen one day.

Musk did say on the podcast that such an alternative wouldn't hurt the "Big Three."

“To be clear, we’re not going to put the other carriers out of business. They’re still going to be around because they own a lot of spectrum,” said Musk. “But yes, you should be able to have Starlink like you have an AT&T, or T-Mobile, or Verizon, or whatever.”

SpaceX currently works with T-Mobile to offer Starlink connectivity to customers in the US, with T-Mobile launching the service nationwide in July.

T-Mobile's D2D service allows customers to connect their smartphone automatically to a constellation of more than 650 low Earth orbit Starlink satellites.

The launch of the service builds on the partnership between T-Mobile and Elon Musk's SpaceX, which first announced plans to cover dead spots from space nearly three years ago.

During the interview, Musk also joked that he could buy Verizon, noting that it's "not out of the question. I suppose that may happen." Musk clashed with Verizon earlier this year, amid reports he urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to award Starlink a contract at the expense of Verizon. He was the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the time.

On the subject of a potential Starlink smartphone, Musk referred to it as something in the "long-term."