(Reuters) -EchoStar said it would sell a set of wireless spectrum licenses to SpaceX for about $2.6 billion in exchange for stock in the space startup, expanding on the $17 billion deal the companies struck in September.

Shares of the telecommunications services company rose about 2.5% in premarket trading.

The AWS-3 licenses cover airwaves across the U.S. that can be used to support mobile and satellite communications.

By combining EchoStar’s wireless airwaves with SpaceX’s rocket launch and satellite manufacturing capabilities, they can quickly create strong and affordable direct-to-cell services, EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan said in a statement.

SpaceX said in September it would buy wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar for its Starlink satellite network for about $17 billion, a ma

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