TLDR
- Amazon filed with the FCC to launch up to 5,105 satellites for a direct-to-device (D2D) network.
- The network will use Globalstar’s spectrum and satellites, following Amazon’s ~$11.6B acquisition deal announced in April.
- D2D connects smartphones and devices directly via satellite, bypassing traditional cell towers.
- Amazon expects the Globalstar deal to close in 2027, with D2D deployment beginning in 2028.
- Partners include Vodafone, DirecTV, Herotel, and Australia’s National Broadband Network.
Amazon has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission requesting approval to launch up to 5,105 satellites as part of a direct-to-device connectivity network.
The filing, submitted Saturday, outlines plans for an Amazon Leo D2D system that would deliver voice, data, messaging, and emergency services straight to smartphones and mobile devices — no cell tower required.
The network will lean heavily on Globalstar’s existing infrastructure. Amazon announced plans to acquire the satellite operator in April in a deal valued at roughly $11.6 billion.
Amazon expects that acquisition to close in 2027. Deployment of the D2D network is targeted to begin in 2028.
The D2D system will run alongside Amazon Leo’s existing first- and second-generation satellite broadband service, as well as Globalstar’s HIBLEO and C-3 satellite constellations.
Amazon’s primary targets are users described in the filing as “unserved or underserved” by existing wireless providers.
The application also cites use cases including emergency operations like search and rescue, and connectivity for remote worksites, fleets, and supply chains.
Amazon has signed on telecom partners to support the rollout. Vodafone, DirecTV, Herotel, and Australia’s National Broadband Network are all listed as partners for the D2D effort.
Competing With Starlink
The move puts Amazon in more direct competition with SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile service, which already offers direct-to-cell connectivity through a partnership with T-Mobile in the U.S.
Starlink currently operates a constellation of more than 10,000 satellites, making it the dominant player in low Earth orbit internet.
Amazon, by comparison, has more than 390 satellites in orbit — enough, the company recently said, to begin “initial service” later this year.
Kuiper Progress and Regulatory Timeline
Amazon received a boost from the FCC last month when the agency granted a waiver on a requirement to deploy 1,600 of its first-generation satellites by July 30.
Amazon is still required to launch its full planned constellation of 3,232 satellites by July 2029.
The company has been building out its Leo internet network since last April, positioning it as a long-term rival to Starlink.
For the D2D push specifically, Amazon has secured Globalstar’s wireless spectrum licenses through the pending acquisition. That spectrum is a core component of how the D2D system will function.
AMZN stock was modestly higher in Monday’s early session, on track to end a four-day losing streak.
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