Amazon plans thousands of new satellites to power internet on your phone

Amazon Leo is working on a new Direct-to-Device satellite system to beam internet and other services directly to smartphones.

The space internet race is fiercer than before, and Amazon has made its latest move. Its satellite internet service, Amazon Leo, is readying a new constellation of up to 5,105 satellites to beam internet to compatible mobile devices directly from space.

Amazon Leo filed an application with the FCC to deploy and operate its Direct-to-Device (D2D) system, which is designed to offer connectivity to users globally. Its deployment is set to start in early 2028, Amazon said. D2D will bring voice, messaging, data, and emergency services to areas beyond the reach of cell towers.

These satellites will use Globalstar's spectrum to offer connectivity. Speaking of which, Amazon is acquiring Globalstar; the two companies entered a merger agreement in April this year. Amazon said that the D2D system will work alongside Leo's first- and second-generation satellite broadband systems, as well as Globalstar’s HIBLEO and C-3 satellite constellations.

To reach different parts of the planet, D2D satellites will be deployed across five orbital shells placed between 500 and 600 km distance from Earth. Here, three mid-latitude shells will cater to heavily populated areas, while higher-inclination ones will extend service toward polar areas.

Amazon Leo satellites will maximize coverage through digital beamforming and beam-hopping to direct concentrated signals precisely where and when they are needed. They will also have tech onboard to support intelligent traffic routing across the constellation. Moreover, the D2D satellites will feature onboard signal processing rather than traditional "bent-pipe" relays to improve performance.

Amazon has partnered with Vodafone, DirecTV, Herotel, and Australia’s National Broadband Network. Its new system will support smartphones that come with satellite-capable chipsets built in and "complement existing mobile networks, filling coverage gaps where terrestrial deployment is impractical, cost-prohibitive, or vulnerable to disruption." Thanks to a recent agreement, supported iPhone and Apple Watch models will get services, including Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages, Find My, and Roadside Assistance via satellite.

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Posted Tuesday 28 July 2026 at 4:45 am AEST (my time).

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