Amazon Plans Globalstar Acquisition

Amazon announced plans on Tuesday to acquire satellite communications firm Globalstar in a deal valued at $11.57 billion, marking a significant step in strengthening its growing space and satellite internet ambitions. The move positions Amazon to better compete with Starlink, the industry leader backed by Elon Musk.

Through the acquisition, Amazon will gain access to Globalstar’s existing fleet of roughly two dozen low-Earth orbit satellites, enhancing its capacity to expand connectivity services. Starlink, by comparison, already operates a much larger constellation with thousands of satellites currently in orbit.

As part of the agreement, Globalstar shareholders will be given the option to receive either $90 in cash per share or 0.3210 shares of Amazon stock for each share they hold.

Amazon has been accelerating efforts to build its own satellite network, with plans to deploy around 3,200 satellites into low-Earth orbit by 2029. The company is required to have about half of this constellation operational by July 2026 to meet regulatory obligations. At present, Amazon has launched over 200 satellites and is preparing to introduce its satellite-based internet services later this year.

Meanwhile, Starlink continues to dominate the market, serving more than nine million users worldwide with its established infrastructure.

Globalstar, headquartered in Louisiana, is widely known for supporting satellite-enabled features in Apple Inc. devices, including Emergency SOS functionality. The company currently operates a network of around 24 satellites but has plans—backed by Apple investment—to expand this number to more than 50 in the near future.

In addition to providing satellite voice, data, and tracking solutions to government, enterprise, and consumer clients, Globalstar is also part of an ongoing collaboration with Amazon and Apple. This partnership ensures continued support for satellite-based safety services such as Emergency SOS and Find My on iPhones and Apple Watches.

The acquisition is expected to be finalized next year, pending regulatory approvals and the successful completion of key satellite deployment targets by Globalstar.