GoKawiilEdgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR Amazon has announced plans to merge its Amazon LEO satellite service with Globalstar to bring direct-to-device satellite services to mobile devices.
Amazon LEO is expected to begin limited LEO internet access this year, though its D2D services aren’t expected until 2028.
Amazon has a long way to go if it wants to outdo Starlink, but it’s good to see more competition in the LEO satellite game.
For years, Amazon has promised it would eventually offer its own low-Earth orbit satellite service capable of going head-to-head with Starlink. It’s been an extremely slow road for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, but it looks like momentum is finally picking up. Earlier today, the company announced its satellite service will debut under the name Amazon Leo and that it will soon partner up with several airline carriers to offer up to 1Gbps speeds in the air. That’s not the only big news, as Amazon has also announced a merger with Globalstar.
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For those who don’t know, Globalstar is a direct-to-device (D2D) provider, which means it can connect directly to mobile devices without the need for a ground-based tower.
It also has a network of about 30 LEO satellites, which will be added to Amazon’s existing collection of around 200 units. This should allow Amazon to better compete against Starlink for home internet, in addition to potentially providing an alternative to T-Sat by Starlink in the future.
Globalstar was already Apple’s partner for iPhone and Watch satellite features, with the latter company investing heavily in the network. This relationship will continue, just with Amazon LEO as the basis for these services going forward. That said, the shift isn’t expected to begin until 2028.
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