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Amazon has agreed to acquire Globalstar for $90 per share, a deal valued at about $11.57 billion. The transaction is expected to accelerate Amazon’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite business as it seeks to compete more directly with SpaceX’s Starlink, Reuters reported.
Under the agreement, Amazon will take control of all of Globalstar’s current operations, infrastructure and assets, including its global spectrum licenses. Globalstar’s existing satellite fleet will be integrated into Amazon’s network, along with new-generation satellites from Globalstar.
Amazon said the acquisition will create a platform for building a satellite system that connects directly to user devices (direct-to-device), with deployment anticipated to begin in 2028.
Panos Panay, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services, said the combination of Globalstar’s capabilities and Amazon’s innovation approach is intended to deliver faster, more reliable service and broader coverage.
Amazon also announced a collaboration with Apple to provide satellite connectivity for current and future features on iPhone and Apple Watch.
Apple previously bought a 20% stake in Globalstar in 2024 for $1.5 billion to upgrade the company’s infrastructure. Globalstar currently operates about 24 satellites, supporting an SOS emergency feature that enables Apple devices to send messages in areas without cellular coverage.
Six years ago, Amazon outlined plans to build a constellation of thousands of LEO satellites to provide high-speed, low-latency internet for individuals, businesses and governments using dedicated user terminals.
Since April of last year, Amazon has placed more than 240 satellites into orbit through launch partners including United Launch Alliance and SpaceX. The company recently renamed its service to LEO, replacing its previous name, Project Kuiper.
Amazon has continued to face deployment delays. Last January, it asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for an extension to meet the requirement to launch about 1,600 satellites before the July 2026 deadline.
Starlink remains the dominant satellite internet service. The system has more than 10,000 satellites in orbit and serves over 9 million users worldwide. The FCC has also licensed Starlink to deploy an additional 7,500 satellites.
SpaceX is developing a direct-to-device connectivity service called Starlink Mobile and is expanding its spectrum capacity by acquiring licenses from EchoStar, supporting its broader goal of building a comprehensive space-based telecom network.
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