Amazon nears deal for Globalstar in push to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink

Published Tue, Apr 14, 2026 · 11:47 AM

[NEW YORK] Amazon.com is in advanced talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar in a deal that would boost the tech giant’s efforts to build its own satellite operation, according to sources familiar with the matter.

A transaction could be announced as soon as Tuesday (Apr 14), said the sources, who asked not to be identified because the information was private.

A final agreement has not been reached and talks might still end without one, or the timing could change, the sources said. A representative for Globalstar did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Amazon declined to comment.

Globalstar’s shares have almost quadrupled in the past year, giving the company a market value of about US$9.4 billion.

A deal would signal intensifying competition between Amazon and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, whose fast-growing Starlink satellite Internet unit has more than 10 million active customers and about 10,000 satellites in orbit.

Starlink is anticipated to bring in more than US$9 billion in revenue this year. Satellite broadband is seen as an increasingly viable alternative to ground-based service, especially in hard-to-reach locations.

Amazon is building out its own low-earth-orbit satellite network, called Amazon Leo, to offer high-speed Internet in rural and remote areas and is aiming to operate more than 7,700 units. The service is in limited testing with businesses. The company has asked the Federal Communications Commission to waive or extend a deadline that it have 1,600 satellites aloft by July, a milestone Amazon Leo is on track to fall well short of.

Globalstar could accelerate Amazon’s efforts because it already operates a functioning network of satellites, said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst John Davies. Globalstar’s network is smaller than Starlink’s, and it mostly focuses on connecting phones and other devices in areas of low coverage. The company powers Apple’s emergency services feature on iPhones, for instance.

Globalstar “would also bring different spectrum rights which might be useful to Leo”, said Davies.

Apple’s relationship with Globalstar likely gives the iPhone maker a say in the satellite provider’s future, sources familiar with the matter have told Bloomberg.

In 2024, Apple invested about US$1.5 billion in Globalstar to beef up the infrastructure. Apple took a 20 per cent stake in the company as part of the deal. Globalstar’s build-out plans may be linked to Apple’s product road map, and the iPhone maker “will not want to alter its plans”, said Davies.

Globalstar was originally formed as a joint venture between Qualcomm and Loral before launching its first low-earth-orbit satellites in 1998. It had nearly 800,000 subscribers to its mobile satellite services as of the end of 2025. The talks with Amazon were reported earlier by the Financial Times. BLOOMBERG