Amazon to buy satellite firm Globalstar in $11.57B deal

 (reuters.com)

64 points | by noptd 1 hour ago

10 comments

  • hbarka 31 minutes ago
    Globalstar is a study in corporate survival. It lives on while its 90’s cohort Iridium didn’t make it.

    Consider the journey:

    2002: Bankruptcy.

    2007: Satellite amplifier failures threatened its voice service.

    2010–2013: A replacement constellation helped restore capacity.

    2022: Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS gave Globalstar a major new purpose.

    2024: Apple committed approximately $1.5 billion in investment and infrastructure funding.

    Now: This acquisition by Amazon would bring Globalstar's satellite assets and spectrum into Amazon's competition with Starlink, while preserving satellite services for Apple devices.

    Iridium has a museum: iridium museum.com

    [-]
    • diek 14 minutes ago
      Iridium exists today, refreshed their constellation with Iridium NEXT just a few years ago, and was just bought by Rocket Lab for $8 billion.

      (disclaimer: my Dad worked there for years)

    • martinky24 10 minutes ago
      What? Doesn’t iridium exist?
  • interloxia 1 hour ago
    The link didn't work for me.

    https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-agency-app...

    US agency approves Amazon Leo’s $11.5 billion acquisition of Globalstar By David Shepardson October 27, 2026

    [-]
  • Eden09 34 minutes ago
    Previous discussion about the deal on HN (119 comments): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47775183
  • paxy 49 minutes ago
    The deal was announced in April. It just got FCC approval.
  • gkanai 35 minutes ago
    How does Globalstar's offering compare to Starlink?
    [-]
    • nonethewiser 33 minutes ago
      9.6Kbps

      Not a joke

      [-]
      • jandrese 29 minutes ago
        Au Contraire, that bandwidth is definitely a joke.
      • gizajob 21 minutes ago
        9600bps ought to be enough for anyone.
      • cj 8 minutes ago
        That's their legacy product.

        2nd gen is 256 Kbps

      • cmiles8 33 minutes ago
        Well that’s more than most people can get out of Leo today so it’s a start!
      • AdamN 27 minutes ago
        Does it also make modem sounds??
  • aboardRat4 25 minutes ago
    Just use Thuraya or Inmarsat.
  • kotaKat 58 minutes ago
    On the same note: https://investors.globalstar.com/news-releases/news-release-...

    The new direct-to-device network Amazon is getting their hands on is now approved and live on the air.

  • sebmellen 1 hour ago
    404 for me
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  • hnisjafx40 6 minutes ago
    [dead]
  • krylonmae 14 minutes ago
    [dead]