Elon Musk's next target after cars, rockets and robots: wireless networks

Elon Musk has disrupted one industry after another, from space rockets and electric vehicles to humanoid robots. His latest target: the stodgy club of mobile networks. The recent announcement that SpaceX is purchasing $17 billion in wireless spectrum has sent jitters through an industry now eyeing the prospect of Elon-style disruptions to a market long dominated by Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. The new bandwidth is destined for use by SpaceX’s satellite service, Starlink. Starlink’s entry into the sector is likely to put new pressure on major U.S. mobile carriers to deliver better service to rural customers, whether through a tie-up with Starlink or a competing technology. While companies including Apple and T-Mobile have rolled out satellite text messaging in remote areas, largely for emergency situations, Starlink is promising streaming videos at the ends of the Earth in a couple of years’ time.