Amazon to buy satellite firm Globalstar in $11.57B deal

(reuters.com)

87 points | by noptd 1 hour ago

12 comments

  • hbarka 59 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

    • giancarlostoro 6 minutes ago
      > 2022: Apple's iPhone Emergency SOS gave Globalstar a major new purpose.

      I wondered who it was that Apple was using for that but never looked into it. Was it for any particular reason on Apple's part other than it probably saved them a bundle compared to going with literally anyone else? Or is there something else I'm missing? Just curious. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for some of these corporate events nobody thinks too much about.

    • diek 43 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)

      • asa123 11 minutes ago
        the person you are responding to seems to have massively massively downplayed iridium then….
    • jareklupinski 20 minutes ago
      • PyWoody 16 minutes ago
        This is giving me real Severance Perpetuity Wing vibes.
        • pnt12 7 minutes ago
          You're not lying.

          "The wait is finally over—the Walmart Museum is back and better than ever!"

          "This video series is intended to be updated as time goes on, so go ahead and come back on your next visit to experience more messages!"

    • cubefox 25 minutes ago
    • cubefox 23 minutes ago
      > 2002: Bankruptcy.

      Why wasn't this the end?

      • handwoven 8 minutes ago
        Bankruptcy doesn't mean that assets will be destroyed. Valuable assets (including satellites, brand etc.) will be sold off to new owners, and the proceeds go to the lenders.
      • piker 21 minutes ago
        Two types of bankruptcy in the U.S.: liquidation and reorganization. The latter lets a company reshuffle assets and debt and schedule new payment plans to continue to exist as a going concern. It often wipes out shareholders.
    • martinky24 39 minutes ago
      What? Doesn’t iridium exist?
      • huhtenberg 16 minutes ago
        It does. That is until its acquisition by Rocket Lab completes in 2027.
  • 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 1 hour ago
    Previous discussion about the deal on HN (119 comments): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47775183
  • joecool1029 26 minutes ago
    The news is that the FCC approved the acquisition. It was already announced back in April that Amazon would be purchasing Globalstar. I don’t think anyone expected it to be held up by regulators.

    Edit: proper link to it https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-agency-app...

  • paxy 1 hour ago
    The deal was announced in April. It just got FCC approval.
  • gkanai 1 hour ago
    How does Globalstar's offering compare to Starlink?
    • nonethewiser 1 hour ago
      9.6Kbps

      Not a joke

      • jandrese 58 minutes ago
        Au Contraire, that bandwidth is definitely a joke.
      • hylaride 18 minutes ago
        The spectrum and various other rights are probably worth more than the current kit.
      • AdamN 56 minutes ago
        Does it also make modem sounds??
      • cmiles8 1 hour ago
        Well that’s more than most people can get out of Leo today so it’s a start!
      • cj 37 minutes ago
        That's their legacy product.

        2nd gen is 256 Kbps

      • fred_is_fred 26 minutes ago
        That's enough bandwidth to play Trade Wars and SRE so it's good enough for me.
      • gizajob 50 minutes ago
        9600bps ought to be enough for anyone.
  • 0xy 25 minutes ago
    Every satellite internet provider other than Starlink is complete garbage. Slow, unreliable, useless.
    • neals 18 minutes ago
      Those are very absolute statements. And mayeb you're not aware, but if you notice people pulling away from you in conversation or it's difficult for you to maintain longterm, deep, relationships, it might be partly because of the way you express yourself. And it probably comes from a good place, you might just want to warn people to not go through whatever bad experience you had. But it is a very one way type of communication. It doesn't allow anybody except those that agree. But those that agree won't agree on some other big statement and you'll still resent each other.

      Just something to think about as you navigate the challenges of social interactions. The best to you.

      • esikich 2 minutes ago
        Do you have experience in satellite Internet? I do, and he's not wrong. Your snarky comment is off topic and isn't adding anything here, imo.
  • sebmellen 1 hour ago
    404 for me
  • aboardRat4 53 minutes ago
    Just use Thuraya or Inmarsat.
  • kotaKat 1 hour 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.

  • hnisjafx40 35 minutes ago
    [dead]
  • krylonmae 43 minutes ago
    [dead]