Amazon Leo plans to launch 5,105 satellites for mobile communications – GeekWire
Amazon Leo has asked the Federal Communications Commission to approve its plan to launch up to 5,105 satellites capable of providing space-based connectivity to mobile devices.
“Our plan is to start shipping in 2028, and we’re excited to work with our partners to make that happen,” Chris Weber, Amazon Leo’s vice president of business and product, told X.
The direct-to-device network, Amazon Leo D2D, will complement Amazon’s satellite network for high-speed Internet service through fixed antennas. It will also use the existing direct-to-device network operated by Globalstar, which is in the midst of a merger with Amazon.
So far, more than 390 Amazon Leo satellites have been launched into low-Earth orbit, and Amazon says it plans to begin rolling out a commercial service later this year. The company plans to have 3,232 first-generation satellites by mid-2029, and the FCC has already given the go-ahead for more than 4,500 second-generation satellites that will provide an additional boost to network coverage.
The latest move, which has been expected since plans to acquire Globalstar were announced in April, is aimed at capitalizing on the growing interest in device-to-device connectivity.
“In large parts of the world where mobile phones serve as the primary means of Internet connection, the Leo D2D System will provide customers with greater speed and performance to expand what they can achieve today,” Amazon said in a news release. “The system is designed to reach any compatible mobile device – including any of the growing number of smartphones from major manufacturers with built-in satellite-enabled chipsets.”
In addition to individual user services, the direct-to-device service can provide seamless communication for disaster response, global fleet management, remote operations across workplaces and supply chains, and remote sensor connectivity, Amazon said.
The Globalstar network already supports emergency SOS, dead zone texting and roadside assistance for compatible iPhones and Apple Watch models, and Amazon has said it will work with Apple on future satellite services using the expanded network.
The FCC application calls for satellites to be used in five orbiting orbits, ranging in height from 510 to 580 kilometers (317 to 360 miles). The satellites will communicate with each other through laser optical links, with mobile devices using L-band and S-band radio frequencies, and Amazon ground stations with Ka-band and V-band frequencies.
Amazon Leo has already announced partnerships with telecom operators including Vodafone, DirecTV, Herotel and Australia’s National Broadband Network. Amazon said its D2D service will help those partners fill their coverage gaps.
Direct-to-device is the emerging frontier in connectivity, but that frontier is already starting to fill up. SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile network currently leads the pack, in partnership with T-Mobile and other mobile operators around the world. Other players include AST SpaceMobile, Orbcomm, Viasat, Lynk Global and Iridium.
In its implementation, Amazon promised that its network would be configured to minimize interference with other networks.
