“Leo”: The Rival of Starlink, Has Launched

Photo: Collected

IT Desk: U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon has launched a new satellite internet service, Amazon Leo, as a rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink. Marketed as the world’s fastest commercial satellite internet, Amazon claims it can challenge Starlink’s dominance.

Currently, Amazon’s network has 150 satellites, far fewer than Starlink’s roughly 8,000, but with its new Leo Ultra Antenna, Amazon promises 1 Gbps download speeds—five times faster than Starlink’s current offering. Starlink serves about 2 million customers and plans to offer gigabit speeds by 2026.

Amazon Leo is presently available to select business clients, with broader availability expected next year. Amazon plans to expand its network to 3,236 satellites, while SpaceX aims to increase Starlink to 12,000 satellites.

Early customers include Hunt Energy Network, Vanu Incorporated, and airline JetBlue. The limited launch is intended to test network performance and explore its industrial applications.