In one sentence
The FCC's Space Bureau approved Amazon Leo's acquisition of about 25 MHz of Globalstar spectrum on October 27 (Order DA 26-1160); consumers and enterprises can check D2D service availability in five steps — regulatory status, handset compatibility, satellite scale, coverage and subscribers, and upcoming spectrum decisions.
When to use this guide
- Consumers and enterprises wanting to enable direct-to-cell (D2D) satellite service in remote or underserved areas.
- Industry researchers tracking how the Amazon Leo–Globalstar approval reshapes the D2D market.
- Procurement decision-makers who need handset compatibility and service-launch timing confirmed before buying.
Context: The FCC Space Bureau approved on October 27, 2026 Amazon Leo's application to acquire about 25 MHz of internationally coordinated MSS spectrum from Globalstar, under Order DA 26-1160 (GN Docket No. 26-134), completing its review of the about $11.57 billion transaction (per Securities.io, quoting the FCC order line by line).
Steps
- Confirm regulatory status: check the approval citation and scope — this is FCC Order DA 26-1160 (GN Docket No. 26-134, October 27, 2026), approving Amazon Leo's acquisition of about 25 MHz of Globalstar MSS spectrum; separate "an approved spectrum transaction" from "a service that exists" — FCC approval does not mean the service is live.
- Verify handset compatibility: check whether your phone or watch is on the supported list — per Engadget (Oct 28), Globalstar already provides emergency satellite connectivity for iPhone and Apple Watch, and after the deal Amazon Leo will offer satellite service for supported models; emergency SOS and two-way data are two different capability tiers — check each separately.
- Compare operators' in-orbit scale: weigh each vendor's launched or approved satellites and commercialization timeline — per Engadget, Amazon Leo has launched 300+ satellites, committed over $10 billion in investment, and expects commercial service before end-2026; per Securities.io quoting the order, the FCC earlier in 2026 approved SpaceX's 15,000-satellite D2D constellation and AST SpaceMobile's 248-satellite system.
- Check coverage and subscriber base: per Securities.io quoting the order, Globalstar serves 780,000+ devices in more than 120 countries, with about 811,000 MSS subscribers as of June 30, 2026; Apple accounts for about 63% of Globalstar's 2025 revenue and holds a 20% stake; verify real availability first in underserved areas.
- Watch upcoming spectrum and policy milestones: per Securities.io, the FCC's October 29 public meeting will vote on adding about 500 MHz of spectrum usable for D2D services; such spectrum decisions will shape which services are available over the next two to three years.
Notes
- The transaction is still closing: per Securities.io quoting the FCC order, Globalstar will become a wholly owned Amazon subsidiary operating as an affiliate of Kuiper Systems; the merger agreement was signed on April 14, 2026, each Globalstar share is elective for $90 in cash or 0.3210 Amazon shares, and closing is expected in 2027 — the deal is approved, not yet completed.
- The FCC approved a spectrum acquisition application, not a live Amazon Leo D2D commercial service; commercial timing follows Amazon Leo's commitment of before end-2026.
- The 780,000+ devices and about 811,000 MSS subscribers are Globalstar's existing figures (as of June 30, 2026) and do not include Amazon Leo's new service users.
- Apple's about 63% share of Globalstar's 2025 revenue and its 20% stake (which Amazon will acquire at closing) show high single-customer concentration.
- The about $11.57 billion price tag, Order DA 26-1160 citation, and about 25 MHz of spectrum all come from Securities.io's line-by-line quotation of the FCC order — cite the source when using them.