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Amazon's Leo proposes satellite constellation for direct-to-phone service
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Fusion42 · 27 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
Amazon Leo has filed an FCC application proposing a constellation of up to 5,105 satellites to provide direct-to-device voice, data, and emergency services to smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, with deployment beginning in 2028. The move intensifies competition with SpaceX, AST SpaceMobile and Lynk Global in satellite-to-phone connectivity, leveraging Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar's mobile satellite spectrum.
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◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
Amazon just locked down spectrum and FCC filing to reach phones with satellites where ground networks don't reach - that's your distribution channel for any service that needs connectivity beyond cell towers. You now have a proven buyer for ground-station hardware, power systems, antenna arrays, and the launch logistics that Globalstar's footprint can't absorb alone.
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