Jeff Bezos’s Amazon has agreed to an $11.5 billion deal to acquire satellite operator Globalstar, marking a major move to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
The acquisition will allow Amazon to integrate Globalstar’s satellite network and spectrum rights into its own low-Earth orbit initiative, Amazon Leo. The goal is to deliver mobile phone connectivity directly from space, expanding coverage to remote and underserved regions.
Amazon has already launched more than 240 satellites as part of its planned 3,000-satellite network. With Globalstar’s infrastructure, the company aims to accelerate development and begin offering mobile services by 2028, targeting hundreds of millions of users.
The deal also strengthens Amazon’s position in the growing satellite-to-smartphone market, where it will directly challenge Starlink, which currently operates a much larger constellation of over 10,000 satellites.
Additionally, Amazon confirmed a partnership with Apple to support emergency SOS features on devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch, further expanding its role in satellite-based communications.
Originally launched in 2019, Amazon’s satellite ambitions have been a long-term strategy tied to Bezos’s broader space vision, which also includes his rocket company Blue Origin. The Globalstar acquisition is expected to close in 2027, pending regulatory approval, and could intensify competition in the global space and connectivity race.