Amazon to buy Globalstar in $11.6 billion satellite deal

Amazon is moving to strengthen its satellite-based mobile internet business with a deal to acquire Globalstar for about $11.57 billion, a move that would give the company satellite assets, infrastructure and spectrum as it pushes deeper into a fast-growing low-earth-orbit connectivity market largely dominated by Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The company said it will pay $90 a share for Globalstar, giving shareholders the option to receive cash or Amazon stock. The transaction is expected to close in 2027.

For Amazon, the deal adds another piece to its effort to build a credible rival to SpaceX in satellite communications. The company has spent years building what was originally known as Project Kuiper and now operates under the Leo brand.

Buying Globalstar gives Amazon an existing satellite operator with an established fleet, ground infrastructure and globally authorized spectrum licenses.

Amazon said Globalstar’s current satellites and planned future spacecraft will operate alongside its own network. The company also said the acquisition will support plans to build a direct-to-device satellite system, with deployment targeted to begin in 2028.

The direct-to-cell and direct-to-device segment is quickly becoming one of the most contested corners of the satellite business. SpaceX has a major lead through Starlink, with more than 10,000 satellites in orbit and more than 9 million users. It is also developing its own direct-to-device capability through Starlink Mobile.

Amazon, by contrast, is still in buildup mode. The company has launched more than 240 satellites since April 2025 and recently asked the Federal Communications Commission for more time to meet a milestone requiring roughly 1,600 satellites to be launched by July 2026.

The Globalstar acquisition could help Amazon close some of that gap more quickly, particularly in mobile connectivity. Amazon also said it reached an agreement with Apple to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features. Globalstar plays a key role in Apple’s satellite emergency messaging service, and Apple took a 20% stake in the company in 2024 as part of a $1.5 billion investment.

The deal will still face regulatory scrutiny. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said on April 14 the agency will review the transaction and described the commission as “very open-minded” to the proposed purchase.The post Amazon to buy Globalstar in $11.6 billion satellite deal appeared first on AeroTime.

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