Amazon’s satellite internet service, Amazon Leo, is set for mid-2026 availability, as announced by CEO Andy Jassy in his annual letter to shareholders.
Amazon Leo is designed to deliver download speeds of up to 1 Gbps, surpassing Starlink’s typical range of 45 to 280 Mbps. Jassy did not clarify whether the 2026 launch would include consumer access. An Amazon spokesperson stated that further details were not available at this time.
Currently, select enterprise customers have been testing the satellite service since late 2022. Airlines Delta and JetBlue have signed agreements to use Amazon Leo for in-flight Wi-Fi services. Other companies that have secured contracts include AT&T, Vodafone, DirecTV Latin America, and NASA.
Amazon Leo aims to provide six to eight times faster uplink performance than its competitors. The service is also expected to be less expensive and will feature native AWS integration for enterprise data storage, analytics, and AI capabilities.
Despite its ambitious plans, Amazon Leo is reportedly behind schedule. As of now, only 241 satellites are operational in its constellation, compared to Starlink’s over 10,000 satellites. In January, Amazon requested an extension from the FCC regarding a deadline to have 1,600 satellites in orbit by July 2026, citing an expected operational count of around 700 by that date.
