Telstra, TPG Telecom clash with Musk's SpaceX over Starlink spectrum guarantee

ASX-listed telcos Telstra and TPG Telecom have both urged the government to proceed with competitive auctions for spectrum licences despite a warning from Elon Musk's SpaceX that it will withhold satellite mobile services from Australia if it isn't granted priority access to crucial wireless airspace.

The mobile network operators argue that a competitive auction for spectrum licences would drive costs down, rather than entrenching Starlink's dominant position for providing satellite-based connectivity.