Amazon Leo just won approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop and deploy more than five thousand direct-to-device (D2D) satellites.
The decision coincides with an April 2026 announcement that the FCC would encourage the growing D2D market by clearing operating permits and establishing exclusive D2D spectrum grants. Currently, there are eight active US companies specializing in D2D telecommunication satellites, and many are partnering with major telecommunications providers like AT&T and T-Mobile.
Still, getting regulatory approval is not the same as getting satellites into orbit. When it comes to full-fledged service in the United States and internationally, SpaceX reigns supreme. And Amazon Leo and other would-be competitors face an ironic bottleneck that SpaceX does not: access to space.
Why D2D
D2D technologies allow satellites to bypass physical infrastructure to connect directly to ordinary mobile phones through a network provider, thereby extending connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. Beyond its cost-effectiveness, D2D could therefore bring connectivity to rural and remote communities and provide backup in disaster zones. Recent earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia have exposed how damaged or inadequate communications infrastructure can complicate emergency coordination and internet access. US company Global Star has been providing D2D satellite cell service for Apple’s Emergency SOS, while Lynk Global’s backup network in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands shows how satellite connectivity can fill the gap when natural disasters knock out ground networks.
