Amazon has asked US regulators to approve a satellite network that would extend voice, messaging and data services directly to mobile devices, a major move in the company’s effort to compete in the emerging direct-to-device (D2D) communications market with vendors like Starlink.

The filing with the Federal Communications Commission seeks authorization for a constellation of 5,105 low Earth orbit satellites that would work alongside Amazon’s existing Project Kuiper broadband network. The new system is designed to connect directly with compatible smartphones and other mobile devices without relying on traditional cellular towers.

The proposal builds on Amazon’s roughly $11.6 billion acquisition of satellite operator Globalstar, announced in April. Amazon plans to combine Globalstar’s existing satellite infrastructure and licensed spectrum with its own space and ground assets to create a global D2D service.

The proposed D2D system would complement Amazon’s broader Project Kuiper. Amazon has already launched more than 390 Project Kuiper satellites into orbit and says that milestone is sufficient to begin offering initial broadband service later this year.

The company remains under an FCC deployment schedule requiring completion of its first-generation constellation of 3,232 satellites by mid-2029 after receiving a waiver extending an earlier deployment deadline. Regulators have also approved more than 4,500 second-generation satellites to expand Kuiper’s overall coverage.

If regulators approve the new application, Amazon Leo D2D would become one of the largest competitors in a market that is expected to reshape mobile connectivity over the next several years. Amazon plans to begin deploying the new network in 2028.

Growing Competition

The D2D satellite market is getting more competitive. SpaceX currently leads the market through its Starlink Mobile service, developed with T-Mobile in the US and other mobile operators internationally. Other companies pursuing similar technology include AST SpaceMobile, Lynk Global, Iridium, Orbcomm and Viasat.

Globalstar already provides satellite services behind Apple’s Emergency SOS, roadside assistance and messaging features on supported iPhone and Apple Watch models. Amazon will continue collaborating with Apple as the expanded network is deployed.

Beyond consumer communications, Amazon sees a number of enterprise uses for its D2D network: disaster response, emergency messaging, fleet management, remote industrial operations, supply chain communications and connectivity for sensors operating outside terrestrial network coverage.

Amazon also plans to work with telecom operators that already serve regional markets. The company has announced partnerships with Vodafone, DirecTV, Herotel and Australia’s National Broadband Network to extend mobile coverage into areas where existing infrastructure leaves service gaps.

The D2D proposal calls for satellites operating in five orbital shells between roughly 510 and 580 kilometers above Earth.

The satellites would communicate with one another using optical laser links while connecting with mobile devices over L-band and S-band frequencies, which are lower-frequency radio bands that travel farther and work well with mobile devices. Communications with Amazon’s ground infrastructure would use Ka-band and V-band spectrum, which are higher-frequency bands that carry much larger amounts of data but over shorter distances.

Amazon said the system has been designed to support compatible smartphones from major manufacturers that already include satellite-enabled hardware.