Bloomberg reports that Amazon.com Inc. has requested permission from the US Federal Communications Commission to launch a direct-to-device network of 5,000 satellites to provide mobile services to cell phones from space.
The proposed constellation would connect smartphones and compatible devices for messaging, data, and emergency communications where traditional cell towers do not reach. The filing expands Amazon’s satellite communications push and puts the plan in direct competition with SpaceX’s satellite-based mobile network.
Amazon expects its separate Amazon Leo broadband satellite network to start commercial service before the end of the year, despite earlier launch delays. That system targets internet through dedicated ground receivers and sits alongside the new direct-to-phone request as part of the company’s broader space communications strategy.
The latest FCC application adds another concrete step in that expansion, pairing direct-to-device mobile coverage goals with Amazon’s existing broadband satellite plans.
