Amazon announces satellite internet service to race against Starlink

Amazon has recently unveiled the first hardware for its upcoming satellite internet service, positioning itself as a direct challenger to SpaceX's Starlink in the market for low Earth orbit connectivity. 

On November 24, the company announced a new antenna system called "Leo Ultra", which will enter a private preview this year before a wider commercial launch expected in 2026.

According to a recent blog by Amazon, the Leo Ultra terminal is aimed at business and government clients rather than households, marking Amazon's initial focus on enterprise-grade connectivity. The company has not disclosed pricing or distribution details, but it has released specifications for the full-duplex phased array antenna, describing it as the "fastest commercial phased array antenna in production." 

Amazon says the system can deliver download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds of 400 Mbps while providing private networking options and direct integration with Amazon Web Services and other cloud platforms. 

The announcement sets up a clearer comparison with Starlink, which dominates the space with more than three million subscribers worldwide. Starlink's current high-performance kit offers download speeds up to 400 Mbps, about half of the maximum Amazon is promising. 

Amazon has stated that they currently have more than 150 satellites in orbit with the next mission scheduled on December 15 which will send another 27 satellites to low Earth orbit.