Amazon in talks for Globalstar
Bloomberg reported that Amazon is in advanced talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar as it pushes to expand its satellite networking capabilities. (x.com) The discussions, if they progress, would accelerate Amazon’s efforts to beef up its satellite infrastructure in competition with other constellations. (x.com)
Amazon moved from talks to a signed deal on April 14, agreeing to buy Globalstar for about $11.6 billion to expand its satellite network. (aboutamazon.com) Amazon said Globalstar’s satellites, spectrum licenses, and operating team will help Amazon Leo add direct-to-device service, which connects phones outside normal cellular coverage. Reuters, citing the announcement, put the deal value at $11.57 billion. (aboutamazon.com) (reuters.com) Globalstar is not just a satellite operator. It also controls Band 53 and n53 wireless spectrum that it has been marketing for private fifth-generation, or 5G, networks in warehouses, ports, and stadiums. (investors.globalstar.com) (fierce-network.com) Amazon has been building this business for years under Project Kuiper, now renamed Amazon Leo. The company says its initial low Earth orbit constellation includes more than 3,000 planned spacecraft, and it began deploying the first 27 satellites in April 2025. (aboutamazon.com) (fcc.gov) The deal also reaches into Apple’s satellite strategy. Amazon said the companies signed a separate agreement for Amazon Leo to power satellite features on supported iPhone and Apple Watch models, including emergency texting, roadside assistance, and location sharing. (aboutamazon.com) That Apple link helps explain why Globalstar mattered even before Amazon showed up. In October 2024, Globalstar disclosed that a customer widely identified as Apple agreed to updated service deals for a new satellite constellation and expanded ground infrastructure, and Apple later took a 20% stake tied to that partnership. (sec.gov) (geekwire.com) The timing is tied to a crowded race in low Earth orbit. SpaceX’s Starlink already has a large lead in satellite internet, while Amazon has been pushing regulators, launch providers, and suppliers to speed deployment of its own system. (reuters.com) (arstechnica.com) Bloomberg first reported on April 13 that Amazon was in advanced talks and said an announcement could come within days. By April 14, those talks had turned into a definitive merger agreement, with closing still subject to regulatory approvals. (bloomberg.com) (earningsfeed.com) If regulators clear the purchase, Amazon will get a satellite operator, a slice of licensed airwaves, and an Apple-linked mobile service relationship in one transaction. That is a faster route into phone-to-satellite service than building each piece from scratch. (aboutamazon.com) (reuters.com)
