For years now, Amazon has been working to offer a home internet service to its customers. With this, Amazon wants to join SpaceX as an option for Americans looking for high-speed internet against companies like Comcast, Spectrum, and more.
In October of 2022, Amazon announced their Project Kuiper would launch more than 3,000 satellites into low-earth orbit to offer this home internet service. Now the FCC has approved Amazon’s request to launch 3,236 satellites into orbit. This gives Amazon the green light to prepare to start selling home internet.
Amazon has also secured a deal with ULA, Arianespace, and Blue Origin to launch these satellites into space starting in early 2023. With this deal, Amazon hopes to launch multiple prototypes into space to test the system before mass production starts.
Amazon is facing a deadline as the FCC has given it until mid-2026 to have 1,600 satellites in space or face losing its FCC approval for the project.
Even though this service is targeting more rural Americans, this could be huge news for cord cutters if Amazon is able to follow through on their plans. Studies have shown that as more options for home internet come, online pricing has come down, and data caps have gone away.
For now, though, we have to wait as we are likely still years away from Amazon’s home internet service becoming fully built out.