Wire · technology
Amazon Leo files FCC bid for 5,105-satellite D2D network
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Fusion42 · 28 July 2026 · Fusion42 review
Amazon Leo has filed an FCC application for a 5,105-satellite direct-to-device network designed to extend voice, messaging, data and emergency services to smartphones in areas beyond terrestrial mobile coverage, with deployment targeted for 2028. The system leverages the Globalstar acquisition and will operate across five orbital layers with on-board signal processing and inter-satellite optical links.
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◆ ◆ The Wire takeaway
Amazon has just secured a regulatory pathway to build a 5,105-satellite network that will connect phones directly to space, bypassing terrestrial networks entirely. If you sell connectivity, IoT, or emergency comms software to enterprises or governments—especially in remote or contested areas—you now have a new distribution channel that doesn't require telecom partnerships, and a new competitor in coverage.
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