We've become so accustomed to satellite internet being exclusively associated with Starlink, as if there are no alternatives. And there truly aren't, but the rules of the game are starting to change. It seems that SpaceX's technology is beginning to face real competition.
In November 2025, Amazon officially unveiled its Amazon Leo Ultra terminal. Up until then, everyone was just discussing plans for creating their low-orbit satellite constellations or talking about their alternatives, which weren't really alternatives at all because they were based on completely different technologies. But Amazon Leo has emerged as a player capable of competing on the same level as Starlink.
So let's figure out what this beast is and why we're already looking forward to it.
About the project
It all began in 2019 when Amazon decided to develop its own cutting-edge satellite communication network. The project's goal was simple: to make high-speed internet accessible everywhere.
By the way, the project was initially named Project Kuiper, after the Kuiper Belt.
*The Kuiper Belt is a vast ring of icy objects, comets, and dwarf planets located in the outer Solar System beyond Neptune's orbit. This name symbolizes the ambitious idea of expanding internet coverage to the most remote and isolated corners of our planet.
Therefore, the first serious mentions of this project appeared under that name. And in 2025, the name was changed to Amazon Leo.
The first important milestone for the project was March 2023, when Amazon first lifted the veil and demonstrated prototypes of three terminal models: the compact Leo Nano, the standard Leo Pro, and the powerful Leo Ultra. At that time, the world saw only the concept of a future lineup that promised to change the perception of satellite communication.
And so, on November 24, 2025, Amazon unveiled the gigabit Leo Ultra antenna—the first enterprise-grade satellite internet system within the Amazon Leo project.
Before the full commercial launch, expected in the summer of 2026, the first Leo Ultra terminals are already being tested by Amazon's corporate partners.
This includes companies such as JetBlue (an American airline) and Hunt Energy Network (an American company specializing in solar panel development and energy storage systems).
And it seems that the high interest from aviation giants in Leo Ultra's capabilities subsequently prompted Amazon to announce the development of another product. In April, the company announced the Amazon Leo Aviation Antenna—a specialized terminal that provides high-speed connectivity for crew and passengers throughout the flight: from boarding to disembarking.
Currently, the company has 241 satellites in orbit but plans to deploy a constellation of over 3,000 units.
What is the Leo Ultra antenna itself?
Leo Ultra is a modern satellite antenna (full-duplex phased array antenna) capable of providing up to 1 Gbps download and up to 400 Mbps upload speeds.
And as Amazon stated, it is currently the fastest commercial antenna of its kind.
The antenna operates on a special silicon chip developed by Amazon Leo and includes Amazon's proprietary radio frequency design and signal processing algorithms that maximize throughput while minimizing latency.
Unlike Starlink terminals, which are designed for consumer use, Leo Ultra is an industrial-grade satellite communication solution: the antenna is designed for aviation, energy, transportation, and other high-demand sectors.
Data from the antenna can be transmitted not to the public internet but directly to companies' private cloud environments.
It is specifically designed for operation in extreme conditions where coverage is absent, as it withstands strong winds, precipitation, and significant temperature fluctuations.
Will Leo Ultra be a competitor to Starlink?
So, the main question: can Leo Ultra truly be called a competitor to Starlink?
If we're talking about the immediate future, probably not. Let's be realistic: Starlink already has a constellation of several thousand satellites, an audience of millions of users, and as a product, Starlink is understandable to many.
But if we look at the medium-term perspective, then definitely yes. And here's why.
The key factor here is technology. Amazon Leo, like SpaceX, uses the same technology: satellites in low Earth orbit, at a distance of about 550 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Thanks to its low orbit, Amazon can provide the same signal speed as Starlink. This is what makes them direct technological rivals.
Even if the Amazon Leo Ultra antenna is not significantly cheaper initially, the emergence of a second such powerful player with identical technology is a turning point. It's the end of a monopoly. And we know: when healthy competition appears in the market, the consumer wins. Because it means either lower prices or a sharp increase in service quality to retain customers.
In fact, this competition has already begun. For example, in January 2026, SpaceX was in negotiations with Apple to integrate Starlink technology into iPhone software updates. However, Amazon subsequently acquired satellite operator Globalstar, which is an Apple partner. Thanks to this deal, new iPhones and Apple Watches will receive satellite internet from the Amazon Leo network. This move clearly demonstrates that the market battle between the companies has already entered an active phase.
So, all that remains for us is to carefully follow the developments in this new battle for global connectivity. Stay with Adaptis!
