AMAZON STRIKES $11.57 BILLION GLOBALSTAR DEAL TO STRENGTHEN SATELLITE PUSH AGAINST STARLINK

Amazon has agreed to acquire satellite communications company Globalstar in an $11.57 billion transaction, giving the e-commerce and cloud giant a major new foothold in the increasingly strategic low-Earth-orbit connectivity race.

- 

The deal is designed to strengthen Amazon's satellite ambitions as it works to close the gap with Elon Musk's Starlink, which remains the dominant force in the sector.

Under the terms outlined in the announcement, Globalstar shareholders will be able to choose between $90 in cash or 0.3210 Amazon shares for each share they hold. The transaction is expected to close next year, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

The acquisition immediately transforms Amazon's position in satellite infrastructure. Rather than relying solely on its own constellation buildup, the company will gain access to Globalstar's existing orbital assets, licensed spectrum, operational expertise, and commercial relationships — including a highly visible agreement tied to Apple's satellite emergency services.

A DIRECT MOVE AGAINST STARLINK

The purchase is best understood as a strategic acceleration rather than a simple expansion. Amazon has already been building out its own low-Earth-orbit network, but Starlink's lead remains formidable. SpaceX's satellite internet division reportedly serves more than nine million users globally and operates a vastly larger constellation, with roughly 10,000 units in orbit.