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Featured Story Verizon revamps FWA with mmWave 'breakthrough' to match fiber speeds Verizon reveals 1-Gig FWA service using millimeter wave to add 10 to 15 million high-speed broadband premises as overall Q3 subscriber growth surges. Amazon Leo's direct-to-device (D2D) strategy gets a jump-start as the FCC greenlights its $11.5 billion acquisition of Globalstar. The FCC approved Amazon Leo's $11.5 billion acquisition of Globalstar on October 27. Amazon is spring-boarding into the direct-to-device business by taking over Globalstar's D2D constellation and its agreement with Apple. Amazon Leo's grander ambitions include a plan to launch a next-gen D2D platform in 2028 that will support a mix of "advanced" voice, text and data services. The FCC is reviewing Amazon Leo's application to build a D2D system of more than 5,105 satellites. Yippy, a former partner of Globalstar, tried to block the deal over an alleged contract dispute, but Globalstar said it hasn't provided communications services to Yippy for years and alleged that Yippy was using the merger review process as leverage in an unrelated dispute. In today's order, the FCC agreed with Globalstar and denied Yippy's petition. Amazon Leo is acquiring Globalstar's existing satellite operations, infrastructure and assets, including its MSS (mobile satellite services) spectrum licenses. Globalstar operates about two dozen low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites focused on its D2D partnership with Apple and serves more than 780,000 end-user devices in more than 120 countries. Heading into the Amazon Leo deal, Globalstar was developing a new "C-3" LEO platform to be comprised of 48 operational satellites and six on-orbit spares. In approving the deal, the FCC noted that the Space Bureau recently granted Globalstar's request for US market access for C-3 and cleared the operator to use 1610MHz-1618.725MHz for Earth-to-space MSS links and 2483.5MHz-2500MHz for space-to-Earth service links. "Following the close of its transaction with Globalstar, Amazon Leo may use the C-3 System grant to build and launch this newly authorized system," the FCC said. The Globalstar deal and Amazon Leo's bigger LEO ambitions are fueling competition in a D2D arena that also includes the sector's undisputed leader, SpaceX/Starlink, along with AST SpaceMobile and Elveo (created by the combination of Lynk and Omnispace). AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are pushing ahead on a D2D joint venture that is viewed as a hedge against SpaceX. While Yippy moved to block the deal, others supported it, including Public Knowledge, New America's Open Technology Institute and the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. The groups argued that the Globalstar assets will enable Amazon Leo to become a more effective competitor in the D2D market. The FCC also believes that the transaction will spur more competition. "In particular, the transaction would facilitate Amazon's entry into D2D services and create a vigorous satellite-based operator capable of offering fixed and mobile services to both residential and business customers," the Commission said.
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