India, Oct. 9 -- SpaceX is moving to challenge traditional US wireless carriers with a new spectrum acquisition agreement that could help its Starlink satellite service deliver mobile connectivity across the country, including in areas where conventional cellular networks struggle to reach.

The company announced on October 8 that it had agreed to acquire a nationwide portfolio of low-band spectrum licenses, a move it says will help Starlink Mobile become a major mobile carrier in the United States. The agreement covers up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band, according to SpaceX's announcement.

The deal marks a significant step in SpaceX's push beyond satellite broadband towards a more direct role in the mobile telecom...