Amazon Leo satellite service seeks FCC approval for 5,100 satellites
Amazon’s Leo unit wants to launch a direct-to-device telecom network in 2028, using more than 5,100 low Earth orbit satellites.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
Amazon Leo satellite service plans are now in front of federal regulators, with the company’s space telecom unit asking to send more than 5,100 low Earth orbit satellites into space for a new direct-to-device network.
Amazon said Monday that its Leo subsidiary filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission for a telecom service that would support voice, messaging, emergency communications and other connections in areas with limited access to existing networks.
The company says the system is aimed at customers who live or work beyond the reach of current communications infrastructure. In its announcement, Amazon said the broader Leo system is intended to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband to consumer, business and government users.
If the FCC approves the application, Amazon said the network would begin service in early 2028. CBS News reported that the FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the application.
What would Amazon Leo satellite service do?
Amazon says the direct-to-device service would connect phones and other devices through satellites rather than relying only on ground-based networks. The company says the system could provide communications in remote places, during emergencies, or in areas where cellular and other terrestrial networks are unavailable.
Low Earth orbit satellites operate closer to the planet than some older satellite systems, a setup companies use to reduce delays in sending and receiving data. Amazon described the planned Leo network as a way to deliver broadband with lower latency to a broad range of users.
Amazon also listed a series of uses beyond personal messaging and calling. According to the company, the service could support disaster response, fleet management across global operations, remote worksites and supply chains, internet-of-things connections for sensors in far-flung locations, and emergency messages when ground networks are down.
How does Globalstar fit into Amazon Leo?
The Leo filing comes after Amazon’s April acquisition of Globalstar, a mobile satellite services provider, in an $11.6 billion deal, according to CBS News. Amazon’s Leo unit has since formed partnerships with telecom operators including DirecTV, HeroTel and Vodafone, the unit said.
Amazon has not said in the announcement how regulators will weigh the application or what conditions the FCC may attach if it grants approval. The company’s timeline depends on that regulatory signoff, with early 2028 given as the target for launch if the plan clears review.
The proposal puts Amazon deeper into space-based communications, a field centered on using orbiting satellites to reach places where towers, fiber lines and other ground infrastructure do not provide reliable service. For customers in those gaps, Amazon says Leo is designed to carry basic communications as well as broadband connections.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.