Amazon and Globalstar announced on April 14, 2026 a definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire the mobile satellite services company, folding its spectrum assets, satellite fleet, and operational infrastructure into the Amazon Leo low Earth orbit network. The deal, announced simultaneously with a separate agreement between Amazon and Apple, restructures a significant portion of the commercial satellite connectivity market and positions Amazon Leo to offer direct-to-device (D2D) services from 2028 onwards.

The announcement came two days after Amazon Leo completed its ninth orbital mission. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in 2027.

The Globalstar acquisition

Globalstar has operated a low Earth orbit satellite constellation for more than 30 years. The company built its business around mobile satellite services (MSS) and became a pioneer in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite infrastructure and D2D technology. Its assets include MSS spectrum licenses with global authorizations - a category of radio frequency resource that is difficult and time-consuming to obtain independently, given the international coordination processes involved.

According to the announcement, Amazon will acquire Globalstar's existing satellite operations, infrastructure, and assets in full. That includes the spectrum licenses, which carry global authorizations and represent one of the more strategically valuable components of the deal. Globalstar also holds Band 53/n53 spectrum, a licensed frequency range used in both satellite and terrestrial applications.

Paul Jacobs, CEO of Globalstar, said in the announcement that the company has "long believed low Earth orbit satellite constellations offer the most effective path to truly connect users and devices anywhere and anytime." Jacobs added that Globalstar had "executed on this vision through sustained, long-term investment in technological innovation, operational excellence, and development of globally harmonized spectrum across both satellite and terrestrial applications."

Globalstar's existing satellite fleet will not be retired. According to the announcement, Globalstar's current satellites and its new satellites - currently being manufactured by MDA Space with expanded capabilities - will operate alongside the Amazon Leo broadband system and Amazon's planned direct-to-device satellite system. That means Amazon Leo will, after closing, run a layered network: the existing Amazon Leo broadband constellation, Globalstar's legacy and new satellites, and an entirely new D2D satellite system scheduled for deployment from 2028.

Amazon Leo Direct-to-Device

The D2D component is the technical centerpiece of the deal's rationale. Beginning in 2028, according to the announcement, Amazon Leo will deploy its own next-generation D2D satellite system designed to extend voice, data, and messaging services directly to mobile phones and other cellular devices - without requiring any specialised hardware beyond a standard cellular handset.

The announcement states the Leo D2D system will offer "substantially higher spectrum use and efficiency than legacy direct-to-cell systems." That claim addresses a known limitation of current D2D satellite implementations, which use bandwidth inefficiently and therefore deliver limited throughput. Higher spectral efficiency translates directly into faster speeds and greater capacity per satellite - meaningful parameters when the system is expected to serve hundreds of millions of endpoints globally.

The Leo D2D system is designed to integrate with Amazon Leo's first- and second-generation broadband systems. The announcement describes this as a "powerful, unified network that combines fixed and mobile satellite services." The full Amazon Leo network, including D2D, will include thousands of advanced satellites in low Earth orbit and carry enough capacity to support hundreds of millions of customer endpoints.

Mobile network operators (MNOs) are the intended commercial channel for D2D services. The announcement is explicit: Amazon plans to work with MNOs and additional partners to deliver D2D connectivity. That positions the Leo D2D layer as a wholesale infrastructure product, with carriers using it to extend coverage to subscribers who move beyond the reach of terrestrial cellular networks.

The Apple agreement

Running alongside the Globalstar acquisition is a separate agreement between Amazon and Apple. Its significance is considerable. Globalstar currently powers satellite connectivity for iPhone 14 and later models, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 3. The service enables Emergency SOS via satellite, Messages via satellite, Find My, and Roadside Assistance via satellite. According to Apple's Greg Joswiak, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing, Emergency SOS via satellite "has helped save many lives around the world" since launching more than three years ago. Joswiak cited specific examples in the announcement: a scout troop stranded on a winter hike in British Columbia, and a woman airlifted to safety in Colorado after her car rolled down a 250-foot cliff.

With the new Amazon-Apple agreement, Amazon Leo will take over as the satellite connectivity provider for those features. Devices currently running on Globalstar's existing and planned upcoming satellites - the latter manufactured by MDA Space - will continue to be supported under the new arrangement. Amazon and Apple will also collaborate on future satellite services using Amazon Leo's expanded network, which suggests the relationship extends well beyond a transitional handover.

Joswiak noted in the announcement that "Apple and Amazon have a long and proven track record of working together through Amazon's core infrastructure services," pointing to the existing relationship between Apple and Amazon Web Services. The satellite agreement extends that relationship into a new domain.

Transaction terms

The financial mechanics of the deal are structured to give Globalstar stockholders a choice between cash and Amazon equity. Under the merger agreement, prior to closing, Globalstar stockholders will elect to receive for each share either $90.00 in cash or 0.3210 shares of Amazon common stock, with the stock consideration capped at $90.00 per share.

A proration mechanism limits aggregate cash elections to a maximum of 40% of total Globalstar shares. Any cash elections that exceed that ceiling are automatically converted into stock consideration on a pro rata basis. The total transaction consideration is subject to a downward adjustment of up to $110 million if Globalstar does not achieve certain operational milestones.

Globalstar stockholders holding approximately 58% of the combined voting power of outstanding Globalstar common stock have already approved the transaction by written consent. Closing is expected in 2027, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and the achievement by Globalstar of certain HIBLEO-4 replacement satellite milestones. The HIBLEO-4 milestone refers to a new generation of Globalstar satellites that must meet specified technical benchmarks as a precondition for the deal to close at the stated consideration.

Scale and context

The Amazon Leo program has expanded rapidly since Amazon formally renamed the project from Project Kuiper in November 2025. As PPC Land reported at the time of the rebrand, the constellation operated more than 150 satellites following six successful launches when the new name was announced. By March 2026, when Amazon and Delta Air Lines announced a deal for 1 Gbps in-flight Wi-Fi across 500 Delta aircraft starting in 2028, that count had passed 200 satellites. The Amazon Leo system is powered by an initial constellation of more than 3,000 satellites connected to a global network of ground gateway antennas and dedicated fiber.

Panos Panay, Senior Vice President of Devices and Services at Amazon, framed the Globalstar acquisition in broad terms. According to the announcement, Panay said: "There are billions of customers out there living, traveling, and operating in places beyond the reach of existing networks, and we started Amazon Leo to help bridge that divide." He added that by combining Globalstar's "proven expertise and strong foundation" with Amazon's approach to innovation, customers "can expect faster, more reliable service in more places."

The announcement identifies three broad categories of benefit the companies attribute to the combined entity. First, it is expected to accelerate D2D deployment at scale by combining Amazon's broadband satellite network with Globalstar's spectrum and infrastructure. Second, the D2D layer is presented as strengthening resilience for both private and public sector users by providing satellite-based fallback connectivity when terrestrial networks fail during natural disasters. Third, Amazon describes the investment as driving economic growth and reducing what it terms the digital divide, pointing to high-value employment in engineering, manufacturing, and satellite operations across the United States, Europe, and other regions.

Regulatory and competitive dimensions

The transaction requires regulatory approval before it can close. The companies plan to file relevant materials with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including a Globalstar information statement on Schedule 14C and an Amazon registration statement on Form S-4. The SEC filings will provide substantially more detail on the deal structure, valuation methodology, and risk factors.

The satellite connectivity market has attracted significant capital and strategic interest. SpaceX's Starlink operates the largest existing low Earth orbit constellation and has made considerable progress with D2D services. The Amazon-Globalstar combination gives Amazon Leo a substantial spectrum advantage - one that Globalstar spent decades assembling - that would be difficult for a new entrant to replicate. The globally harmonized nature of Globalstar's Band 53/n53 spectrum is specifically notable; spectrum that is coordinated across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously is rare and operationally valuable.

The Apple dimension also matters competitively. Apple's satellite features have been live since late 2022, and the Emergency SOS product specifically has demonstrated real-world utility. Transferring the infrastructure underpinning that product from Globalstar to Amazon Leo deepens Apple's dependence on Amazon's infrastructure stack, even as the two companies compete in other areas including voice assistants, smart home devices, and streaming.

For the marketing and advertising community, the deal's longer-term implications centre on reach. Amazon's advertising products - including its demand-side platform, sponsored product formats, and streaming ad inventory on Prime Video - are predicated in part on audience scale. A satellite network capable of connecting hundreds of millions of previously unreached customers represents a potential expansion of the addressable audience for Amazon Ads. Rural and remote populations currently outside reliable internet coverage are also outside measurable digital advertising reach; reliable D2D connectivity would change that arithmetic over time.

Timeline

  • September 2023 - Vodafone and Amazon announce collaboration to extend 4G/5G services in Europe and Africa using Project Kuiper's network, as reported by PPC Land
  • April 9, 2025 - Amazon launches KA-01, its first full batch of 27 Project Kuiper satellites on a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral
  • November 13, 2025 - Amazon renames Project Kuiper as Amazon Leo, with more than 150 satellites in orbit; PPC Land covered the rebrand in detail
  • March 31, 2026 - Amazon and Delta Air Lines announce agreement for Leo-powered in-flight Wi-Fi across 500 aircraft from 2028; covered by PPC Land
  • April 14, 2026 - Amazon and Globalstar announce definitive merger agreement; Amazon and Apple announce satellite services agreement
  • April 15, 2026 - Amazon Leo completes its ninth orbital mission
  • 2027 (expected) - Transaction expected to close, subject to regulatory approvals and Globalstar's HIBLEO-4 satellite milestones
  • 2028 - Amazon Leo Direct-to-Device satellite system deployment begins; Amazon Leo in-flight Wi-Fi launches on Delta aircraft

Summary

Who: Amazon.com, Inc. and Globalstar, Inc., with Apple as a parallel agreement party.

What: A definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire Globalstar in full, absorbing its satellite fleet, MSS spectrum licenses, and operational infrastructure into Amazon Leo. A concurrent agreement transfers Apple's satellite connectivity services for iPhone and Apple Watch from Globalstar to Amazon Leo.

When: The announcement was made on April 14, 2026. The transaction is expected to close in 2027. Amazon Leo's own Direct-to-Device satellite system is scheduled for deployment beginning in 2028.

Where: The deal involves companies headquartered in Seattle, Washington (Amazon) and Covington, Louisiana (Globalstar). The satellite infrastructure operates globally, with spectrum licenses covering multiple international jurisdictions.

Why: Amazon is acquiring the spectrum assets, operational expertise, and satellite infrastructure needed to build a next-generation Direct-to-Device satellite system capable of extending cellular voice, text, and data services to devices beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. Globalstar's globally harmonized spectrum - the product of more than 30 years of accumulated licensing - accelerates that capability in ways that organic development alone would not.

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