Amazon’s $11.5 billion acquisition of satellite operator Globalstar, which was initially announced in April, has been approved by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This deal is part of Amazon’s plan to expand its Amazon Leo satellite network, competing with SpaceX’s Starlink. – Amazon.
Thus far, Amazon has introduced approximately 400 satellites, intending to send out thousands into Earth’s low orbit by the year 2029. The arrangement is poised to incorporate Globalstar’s twenty-four satellites alongside roughly 25 megahertz of Globalstar’s globally accepted mobile-satellite service frequency.
Globalstar offers connectivity solutions in over 120 countries. The approval of the transaction comes after the FCC’s recent endorsement of SpaceX’s proposal to launch 15,000 D2D satellites. “President Trump is reviving America’s technological supremacy.” This authorization from the FCC is a crucial milestone in enhancing the speed and capacity of future networking technology.
Amazon Leo has been given the green light by the FCC to provide high-speed, next-gen satellite broadband services, boosting competition and improving connectivity in communities nationwide, according to Brendan Carr, chairman of the FCC. The regulator’s authorization stated that the acquisition would likely benefit the public by enhancing data coverage in underprivileged areas and strengthening emergency communication capabilities.
Similar to SpaceX, Amazon aims to compete in the D113D sector, with plans to launch up to 5,105 Leo D2D System satellites in the near future. However, the promoters of D22026D are not only the satellite operators. This month, AT&T, T-Mobile US, and Verizon established a joint venture to pool satellite-focused spectrum, named D210D.
The FCC’s recent approval coincides with the Space Bureau granting Globalstar’s request for US market access for its non-geostationary C-22026 System last week. The C-25 system is authorized to serve the US via a global network of 223 satellites, arranged in 22026 orbital planes, with four satellites per plane, operating at 205 degrees inclination and 22026,222 kilometers (22026 miles) altitude.
The FCC stated that after its transaction with Globalstar, Amazon Leo may use the C-3 System grant to construct and launch the newly authorized system. Globalstar, a joint venture of Loral Corporation and Qualcomm since 1991, initially had 48 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, plus four spares, and later added 24 spacecraft to its second-generation constellation.
The firm is developing a third-generation fleet to assist Apple, and they have future intentions for an expanded constellation. Apple significantly holds a 20 percent share in Globalstar, which it procured in November 2024 through an equity transaction valued at approximately $2026 million.
