SpaceX announced a deal with chipmaker Qualcomm to provide key network technology for Elon Musk's Starlink Mobile service, a challenger to Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile

Qualcomm said on Wednesday that the terrestrial network it will help SpaceX build will "complement Starlink's satellite capabilities," with a planned rollout to begin next year. Financial terms of the multiyear deal weren't disclosed. "Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead," Durga Malladi, an executive vice president at Qualcomm, said in the statement. Starlink is a critical piece of SpaceX's business, accounting for 36% of the company's revenue in the third quarter and 85% of its operating profit. But to date, the company's consumer business has been limited when it comes to mobile direct-to-device services as its satellite network can't provide all the voice, video and data coverage that competitors offer on popular smartphones.