SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX) recently acquired the spectrum it needs to continue its push to offer mobile phone service to consumers. The news sent mobile carrier stocks down. Benzinga asked viewers whether they were ready to switch.

Benzinga Viewers Chime In on SpaceX Mobile

SpaceX stock has posted strong gains over the last two months, with the latest spectrum news among the positive catalysts helping boost the share price.

While SpaceX does not currently offer mobile service, the company appears ready to enter a sector dominated by three companies in the United States.

T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:TMUS), Verizon (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T (NYSE:T) have all been under pressure since news of the spectrum acquisition broke.

Benzinga recently asked viewers of "PreMarket Playbook" whether they would switch to SpaceX mobile service when available.

"Would you switch from your current carrier to a $SPCX phone plan?" Benzinga asked.

The results are:

• Maybe, if cheaper than current plan: 44%
• No, I’m staying with my carrier: 27%
• Yes, I’d switch on day one: 24%
• Only as a backup for dead zones: 5%

The poll found that nearly half of viewers would switch depending on SpaceX pricing. About a quarter of those polled said they would switch on day one. Five percent said they would consider adding SpaceX service as a backup for coverage in dead zones.

Twenty-seven percent of those polled said they would stay with their existing carrier, which could be good news for the big three telecom companies in the U.S., but is also a low percentage for customer loyalty.

Overall, 73% of those polled said they were interested in switching to SpaceX for mobile coverage.

"PreMarket Playbook" airs Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. ET on YouTube. The Oct. 12 poll included 95 responses.

SpaceX’s Spectrum Acquisition

SpaceX is acquiring Grain Management’s nationwide 800 MHz spectrum portfolio for an undisclosed amount.

“We announced an agreement to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum license portfolio that will pave the way for Starlink to become a major mobile carrier in the US. With this new spectrum and our Gen2 constellation, Starlink Mobile can ensure Americans have access to high-speed mobile broadband no matter where they are,” SpaceX tweeted.

In a blog post, SpaceX said the acquisition addressed a key technical gap for Starlink Mobile to become a major U.S. mobile carrier.

One key to the deal is adding mobile coverage that penetrates walls and other obstacles, an area where SpaceX had lacked and where competitors still had an edge.

“Starlink Mobile can now become the first network operator to deploy both satellite and terrestrial spectrum. One network that provides Americans with a reliable service indoors, outdoors, in cellular dead zones, and everywhere between.”

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared the news on social media and called it a “very big deal.”

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