Amazon filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission for a license to operate a new network of 5,105 satellites that would provide service to mobile phones, with plans to start launching them in 2028.
The move comes several months after Amazon acquired the satellite operations of Globalstar, which provides emergency connectivity to Apple iPhones and Internet-of-Things devices. The filing revealed the company’s plans to leverage Globalstar’s radio spectrum to expand these offerings and integrate them with Leo, Amazon’s broadband internet satellite network.
