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.…