Amazon expands its satellite network for mobile phones, turning up the heat on SpaceX
The race for space-based telecommunications is entering a new phase. Amazon filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last Saturday to launch a new low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation. The network aims to provide direct-to-device "voice, messaging, data, and emergency services" to mobile phones.
According to the filing, if approved, Amazon will begin deploying a constellation of 5,105 satellites in 2028. The company plans to partner with mobile network operators to offer the service — an approach that mirrors Starlink's similar partnership with T-Mobile.
Amazon took another major step in direct-to-phone satellite services earlier this year, acquiring Globalstar's satellite network and taking over its deal to provide direct-to-device satellite service for Apple devices. This new filing further expands the company's ambitions in the space.
Direct-to-device satellite technology allows mobile phones to communicate directly with satellites without requiring any additional hardware. This can be vital in rural areas without terrestrial cellular coverage, at sea, or in disaster zones.
SpaceX's Starlink service is currently the most advanced player in this field. Through its partnership with T-Mobile, the company has begun offering direct satellite messaging service to millions of subscribers in the US, and plans to gradually roll out additional features such as voice calling.
Amazon's move could introduce real competition into this market. The company's Project Kuiper broadband satellite internet venture is already underway, and the new direct-to-device service is seen as the next step built on top of that infrastructure.
Experts say this competition could benefit consumers. Multiple companies offering similar services can drive prices down and improve service quality. Competition is also expected to accelerate technological innovation in the field.
But building large-scale satellite constellations like this also raises regulatory and environmental concerns. Astronomers have long argued that the growing number of satellites is making night-sky observations more difficult. Researchers specialising in space debris also stress that increasing object density in orbit raises the risk of collisions.
The FCC's approval process requires a thorough technical and regulatory review. Even if approved, actually deploying such a large satellite network could take years, suggesting Amazon's 2028 target is quite ambitious.
Industry observers say the development also paints a broader picture of where space-based telecommunications is headed: an era in which mobile phone connectivity increasingly depends not just on terrestrial infrastructure, but on satellite networks in orbit.
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