Amazon launches its new Leo satellite internet service, challenging Starlink with faster speeds and ambitious expansion plans.
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| Amazon’s Leo satellite service enters the market with ultra-fast speeds and strategic business partnerships, escalating competition with Starlink. Image: CH |
SEATTLE, United States — November 29, 2025:
Amazon has formally entered the satellite internet arena with the launch of Amazon Leo, a new low-Earth-orbit broadband service intended to rival the dominance of SpaceX’s Starlink. The debut marks a major strategic step for the U.S. tech giant as demand for global high-speed connectivity intensifies.
Despite operating only 150 satellites—a fraction of Starlink’s nearly 8,000-strong constellation—Amazon is leaning heavily on performance claims. Its new “Leo Ultra” antenna reportedly delivers download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, which Amazon says is five times faster than Starlink’s current typical speeds. Starlink, however, plans to reach gigabit-class service by 2026, setting the stage for an accelerating technological arms race in orbit.
For now, Amazon’s service is limited to a small group of enterprise customers, including Hunt Energy Networks, Vanu Inc., and airline JetBlue. The company describes this controlled rollout as a deliberate testing phase to assess real-world network performance across industries such as aviation, energy, and remote communications.
Long-term, Amazon intends to scale its constellation to 3,236 satellites, while SpaceX aims to expand Starlink to 12,000, underscoring the massive orbital infrastructure both companies envision. Their competing mega-constellations raise broader questions about orbital congestion, regulatory oversight, and spectrum competition—issues increasingly central to the future of global connectivity.
The arrival of Amazon Leo signals that Starlink’s early lead is far from unchallenged. With competing services pushing for faster speeds, wider coverage, and more specialized applications, the global satellite internet market is entering its most competitive phase yet.