Amazon has confirmed it will acquire satellite operator Globalstar in a $11.57bn (€9.81bn) deal, paying up to $90 per share in cash or Amazon stock. The acquisition plugs Globalstar's 25 low-Earth-orbit satellites and — crucially — its prized MSS spectrum licences into Amazon's own Amazon Leo constellation, which is meant to reach 7,700 satellites but currently has only about 200 in orbit. Globalstar is also Apple's exclusive partner for satellite emergency messaging on the iPhone; Apple owns 20% of Globalstar, so the deal brings Amazon into Apple's ecosystem. For reference, SpaceX paid close to $20bn in 2025 for EchoStar and its spectrum, which has four times the bandwidth of Globalstar's — so Amazon will be limited to voice and messaging initially (not 4G/5G from space like Starlink's ambition). Amazon has separately promised a next-generation direct-to-device (D2D) system 'from 2028', without detail. Amazon is behind on its FCC commitment of 1,600 satellites by July 2026, has asked for an extension, and is lobbying the FCC to block Musk's plan to launch up to one million satellites. The company's share price has risen from $200 to nearly $250 since the first rumours in early April, with +4% on the deal announcement and +10% for Globalstar. The satellite-internet market is projected to reach $200bn. Source: Les Échos, 15 April 2026 — Thomas Pontiroli.
Amazon buys Globalstar for $11.6bn, escalating the space-telecom war with SpaceX
— Summary
The story in one line: Amazon has committed $11.57bn to acquire Globalstar, a move designed to close the spectrum gap with SpaceX/Starlink and get closer to Apple in satellite-to-phone connectivity.
Key numbers
- Deal size: $11.57 bn (€9.81 bn) — up to $90/share cash or in Amazon stock.
- Globalstar today: 25 LEO satellites, precious MSS spectrum around 2 GHz (but ~4× narrower than EchoStar’s).
- Amazon Leo: ~200 satellites in orbit vs. a 7,700-satellite long-term target, vs. FCC milestone of 1,600 by July 2026 (now behind schedule).
- SpaceX/Starlink: ~10,000 satellites in orbit, ~650 mobile; paid ~$20 bn for EchoStar in 2025.
- Apple owns 20% of Globalstar.
- Amazon share price: $200 → ~$250 since early-April rumours; +4% on the announcement. Globalstar: +10%.
- Satellite-internet market TAM: ~$200 bn long term.
Why it matters (jargon, explained)
- LEO (Low-Earth Orbit) = satellites ~500–2,000 km up; closer = lower latency, but you need many to cover the planet. That’s why Starlink has ~10,000 and Amazon Leo is chasing 7,700.
- MSS spectrum = Mobile Satellite Service frequency bands, a scarce resource that lets satellites talk directly to ordinary smartphones. Without MSS, a satellite constellation can serve fixed dishes but not plain iPhones.
- D2D (direct-to-device) = satellite signal received by a normal phone, no special hardware. This is the real prize — and it’s where Globalstar’s existing iPhone partnership matters.
- Globalstar alone doesn’t catch Amazon up in 4G/5G-from-space (spectrum bandwidth too narrow), but it buys experienced mobile-satellite teams, the Apple relationship, and optionality until Amazon’s own D2D system launches “from 2028”.
Takeaway
This is Bezos-vs-Musk round two: the race to own the physical layer of the space internet, with Apple as kingmaker. Short-term, Amazon is a distant second behind Starlink in satellites and mobile spectrum. Long-term, the real battleground shifts to cloud-in-space — where Amazon’s AWS dominance, not Starlink’s early lead, becomes the structural advantage.
Source: Les Échos, 15 April 2026 — Thomas Pontiroli.