Add MobiGyan as a preferred source on GoogleQualcomm announced that SpaceX has selected its Qualcomm Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms to support the deployment of Starlink Mobile’s terrestrial 5G network across the United States. The collaboration will use Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms, along with commercial-grade Layer 1 software, to support large-scale cellular base station deployments.
The infrastructure combines Massive MIMO radio technology and baseband processing with powerful computing capabilities. According to Qualcomm, the collaboration also represents a commercial milestone in the broader development of AI-native 6G infrastructure.
Qualcomm Dragonwing Platforms & Network Architecture
The Starlink Mobile terrestrial network uses Massive MIMO radio units configured with 64 transmission and 64 reception paths (64T64R). This configuration is designed to improve network coverage, increase capacity and improve spectral efficiency so that the network can handle higher volumes of cellular data traffic.
The deployment will use two Qualcomm Dragonwing platforms for different processing requirements:
- Qualcomm Dragonwing QRU100: The platform provides integrated processing for Massive MIMO radio units that handle the radio frequency functions required by the 64T64R antenna configuration.
- Qualcomm Dragonwing QDU100: This platform handles latency-sensitive Layer 1 baseband processing for distributed units in the network infrastructure.
Together, the two platforms are designed to optimize performance per watt across radio units and distributed units. This focus on energy efficiency is expected to reduce operating costs and improve deployment economics as the network expands.
Massive MIMO technology for higher network capacity
The use of 64T64R Massive MIMO technology is a key part of the planned network architecture. By using multiple transmit and receive paths, the system is designed to improve spectrum utilization, coverage, and overall network capacity.
The modular architecture also supports multi-band operations across different deployment phases, giving Starlink Mobile a flexible infrastructure foundation to expand its terrestrial network.
Towards AI-Native 6G infrastructure
In addition to the initial 5G deployment, Qualcomm and SpaceX position the collaboration as part of a broader effort for the development of AI-native 6G infrastructures.
The modular radio unit and distributed unit architecture provides a foundation that can be adapted for future network iterations and integrated network intelligence.
While the initial deployment is focused on terrestrial 5G connectivity, the underlying processing framework is designed to support future infrastructure requirements as network technologies evolve.
Commenting on this, Durga Malladi, EVP & GM, Technology Planning, Edge Solutions, and Data Center, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., said: “Building a national network requires high performance and power efficiency at each site. Dragonwing Cellular Infrastructure platforms bring advanced Massive MIMO, purpose-built processing and commercial-grade Layer 1 software to build with a land space 1 software to build a country. world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States that advances 5G today, with an opportunity to Laying the foundation for AI-native 6G in the coming years.
Michael Nicolls, senior vice president of Starlink, said: “We shouldn’t live in a time where phone calls still drop, whether you’re at home or on the go. Starlink is building the first fully integrated national satellite and terrestrial network that keeps people connected no matter where they are. end-to-end architecture.”
Starlink Mobile 5G Network Rollout in the US
SpaceX plans to begin national deployment of its Starlink Mobile terrestrial 5G network in the United States in 2027.
The multi-year agreement is expected to involve the deployment of tens of thousands of network sites. Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms will provide the radio and baseband processing infrastructure for this expansion.
The collaboration marks another step in Qualcomm’s involvement in cellular infrastructure, extending its Dragonwing platform portfolio and SpaceX’s planned terrestrial 5G network.