Amazon just filed paperwork with the FCC to launch more than 5,100 satellites designed to connect directly to your phone. Not a special satellite phone, not a bulky terminal on your roof. Your regular, everyday smartphone.

The filing, submitted during the last week of July 2026, requests authorization for a new low-Earth orbit constellation of up to 5,105 satellites under the Amazon Leo brand (formerly Project Kuiper). The goal: deliver voice, messaging, data, and emergency connectivity to compatible smartphones and IoT devices in areas where traditional cell towers don’t reach.

A $11.57 billion bet on spectrum

Amazon’s play here relies heavily on spectrum it plans to acquire through its $11.57 billion purchase of Globalstar, announced on April 14, 2026. That deal doesn’t just hand Amazon a bundle of valuable airwaves. It also comes with existing satellite infrastructure and, notably, a working relationship with Apple.

Globalstar has been powering Apple’s Emergency SOS feature for iPhones and Apple Watches. So Amazon isn’t just buying spectrum. It’s buying a seat at a table where Apple is already sitting.