Amazon wants to put 5,105 satellites in orbit to beam calls directly to your phone
Amazon is making a serious push into satellite-to-phone connectivity. Its Amazon Leo division filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on July 24 for a constellation of 5,105 low-Earth orbit satellites designed to connect directly to smartphones — no cell tower, no Wi-Fi required. Deployments are set to begin in 2028.
What it does
The system is called Direct-to-Device, or D2D. It would let your phone send texts, make voice calls, transfer data, and reach emergency services in areas where terrestrial mobile networks don't reach — think remote countryside, open water, or disaster zones where towers go down. Amazon isn't the first to chase this idea: Apple already offers satellite SOS on iPhones, and Starlink Mobile is live in the US via T-Mobile. But Amazon's pitch is scale.
Amazon Leo already has more than 390 first-generation satellites in orbit, with a fixed broadband service targeted for launch by the end of 2026. Partners include Vodafone, DirecTV, and Australia's National Broadband Network. The new D2D constellation would sit on top of that existing infrastructure, making Amazon the second-largest satellite operator in the world after SpaceX, which runs more than 10,000 Starlink satellites.
The competitive angle
SpaceX applied to the FCC earlier in July for a Starlink Gen3 constellation of up to 100,000 satellites. Amazon has formally asked regulators to reject that application — and FCC chair Brendan Carr publicly told Amazon to focus on building its own network rather than blocking a competitor's. That exchange signals how contested low-Earth orbit is becoming.
In the UK, the D2D regulatory framework was approved in September 2025 — the first in Europe — putting Amazon in a position to challenge the Virgin Media O2–Starlink partnership that is already taking shape. In the broader European market, Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile have formed a joint venture called Satellite Connect Europe, targeting 2026. Amazon's own Vodafone partnership could complicate that picture.
The Globalstar acquisition — worth $11.6 billion and expected to close in 2027 — is a key piece of the puzzle. It hands Amazon licensed spectrum in more than 120 countries, which is essential for rolling out D2D outside the US. No pricing or device compatibility details have been disclosed yet, and FCC approval is not guaranteed. But the filing makes clear that Amazon intends to be a major player in the race to connect the places mobile networks still can't reach, per CNBC.
