Amazon in Talks to Acquire Globalstar: FT
Amazon is trying to compete with SpaceX’s LEO system.
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2026 – Amazon is in talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar, the Financial Times reported Wednesday. The outlet cited people familiar with the matter.
Globalstar’s 24 low-Earth orbit satellites provide direct-to-cell texting service for Apple devices, which most of its network capacity was reversed for after Apple bought a 20 percent stake in the company for $1.5 billion.
According to the FT, that was a complication in the merger talks and required separate negotiations between Apple and Amazon.
Globalstar is looking for Federal Communications Commission authorization to launch a new $1 billion, 54-satellite constellation, largely funded by Apple cash.
Amazon is looking to compete with SpaceX’s dominant Starlink service, which provides satellite broadband to 10 million customers globally via a 10,000-satellite constellation. SpaceX is also hoping to improve its direct-to-cell mobile service, having purchased exclusive spectrum and asking the FCC to clear a system of 15,000 new satellites to support higher speeds.
Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, has about 212 satellites in orbit. The company has asked the FCC for more time to meet its initial deployment milestone of 1,618 satellites, citing unexpected reengineering and repeated launch delays.
Purchasing Globalstar would be a chance to compete with SpaceX on the direct-to-cell front, satellite analyst Tim Farrar said in a March 24 blog. But as rumors of an acquisition circulated at a satellite show in Washington, Farrar predicted SpaceX would win out and nab Globalstar in abid to cement its dominance.
“Amazon already faces severe competitive pressure from Starlink in the broadband market, and a Starlink purchase of Globalstar would block another opportunity for Amazon to broaden its appeal and match Starlink’s D2D offer,” he wrote.
Farrar said it wasn’t clear what would happen to Globalstar’s planned constellation if SpaceX was indeed the buyer, given SpaceX is trying to launch a direct-to-cell system of its own. He also wrote Globalstar would likely be sold for “something close to” $10 billion – the company’s market cap was about $9.6 billion as of Thursday.
SpaceX and Globalstar have quarreled over spectrum. SpaceX has repeatedly sought to access Globalstar airwaves in the Big LEO band, including as part of the application for its next-generation direct-to-cell system, which Globalstar has opposed.
Globalstar stock was up more than 12 percent Thursday morning in the wake of the reported Amazon talks.
Globalstar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Amazon declined to comment.
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