Amazon seeks FCC approval for 5,105 direct-to-phone satellites

Amazon Amazon.com, Inc. ↗ 1.94% has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission seeking permission to deploy a constellation of 5,105 low Earth orbit satellites that would beam voice, data, and emergency services directly to smartphones without the need for cell towers.

The filing, submitted late on July 24, marks Amazon's formal entry into the satellite-to-phone race and represents a separate system from its existing Amazon Leo broadband constellation, which currently has roughly 330 satellites in orbit.

A New Constellation Built on Globalstar Spectrum

According to SpaceNews, which first reported on the filing, the proposed system would operate at altitudes between 510 and 580 kilometers, using spectrum in the 1.6 and 2.4 gigahertz bands assigned to Globalstar ↗ 0.62% — the satellite firm Amazon agreed to acquire in April for $11.57 billion.reuters+1

"The Amazon Leo D2D System will provide global mobile network connectivity services and will supplement and expand on Amazon's authorized satellite systems by enabling service directly to users' mobile devices, including in areas where terrestrial coverage is unavailable," the company said in its filing.spacenews

The system would deliver mobile data, text messaging, emergency communications, in-vehicle connectivity, and Internet of Things applications, Amazon stated. While the filing includes orbital slots for more than 11,000 satellites, Amazon specified the constellation would not exceed 5,105.spacenews

Partnerships and Timeline

Amazon said in April that it expects to begin deploying the direct-to-device system in 2028. The Globalstar acquisition, which is expected to close in 2027 pending regulatory approval, will give Amazon control of Globalstar's mobile satellite service spectrum with global authorizations.wired+3

The company has already secured partnerships to support the broader Amazon Leo network. Vodafone ↗ 0.40% signed an agreement at Mobile World Congress in March to use Amazon Leo for satellite backhaul connecting remote base stations across Europe and Africa. Apple ↗ 1.75% signed an agreement to continue providing satellite connectivity for iPhone and Apple Watch emergency features through the Globalstar infrastructure.vodafone+2

Crowded Competition

The filing places Amazon squarely against several competitors in the direct-to-device market. SpaceX's Starlink Direct to Cell service has grown rapidly, surpassing 13 million connections by mid-2026. AST SpaceMobile ↘ 0.08% is pursuing broadband-speed direct-to-handset service using large satellite antennas, while Lynk Global recently completed its first satellite SMS test to a mobile phone in the Pacific.spacenexus+2

Amazon's FCC application arrives as the company also works to build out its separate broadband constellation, for which it now holds approval to deploy up to 7,727 satellites.bbcmag+1