Amazon vs. Starlink: Launching a Satellite Constellation for Mobile Connectivity

Amazon plans to launch a constellation of more than 5,000 satellites that will provide internet services to mobile devices worldwide, as part of the e-commerce giant's efforts to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink service, according to a report in the Financial Times. The company announced that it has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval to launch the constellation by 2028.

According to Amazon, the constellation will provide voice, messaging, data, and emergency services.

"Amazon looks forward to realizing the promise of providing direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, including for the millions of people who live, travel, and work in places currently beyond the reach of existing networks," the company stated.

This is the company's first move into the mobile connectivity sector, a field that has so far been dominated by SpaceX's Starlink service, which operates in more than 150 countries and offers high-speed internet connection via an extensive satellite constellation. According to the application it filed, Amazon is targeting users who are underserved or only partially served by existing wireless providers. Additional applications include support for emergency operations such as search and rescue, and expanding connectivity for work sites, vehicle fleets, and supply chains located in remote areas or areas difficult for terrestrial networks to reach.

According to Ben Harwood, an analyst at New Street Research, deploying the constellation could cost "between 13 and 20 billion dollars," assuming the design is "consistent with that of competitors" and that the launches are mostly carried out by Blue Origin, the rocket company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The plan is to launch a total of 5,105 satellites.

Amazon stated that it intends to use the radio frequency spectrum it acquired as part of its recent acquisition of competitor Globalstar for 11.6 billion dollars. The company has more than 390 satellites in orbit around the Earth for broadband services, but its efforts to launch additional satellites have suffered delays, and its constellation is considered relatively small compared to the more than 10,000 active satellites operated by SpaceX. Amazon currently has more than 390 satellites in orbit around the Earth, which it says are enough to begin "initial service" later this year. Last month, Amazon received relief from the FCC after the agency approved its request to waive the requirement to deploy 1,600 of its first-generation satellites by July 30. It is still obligated to launch all 3,232 satellites of its planned satellite constellation by July 2029.