The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grants Amazon a conditional waiver related to its Amazon Leo satellite broadband constellation, changing a milestone that was due by July 30. Multiple outlets report the FCC removes the looming requirement to deploy the first 1,616 “Gen 1” satellites by that date, rather than granting the longer two-year extension Amazon sought earlier this year. The arrangement keeps the overall construction timeline for the full constellation intact, including the deadline that all 3,232 planned Gen 1 satellites must still be deployed by the final FCC deadline.
Several sources add that the FCC’s decision also alters the regulatory treatment of Amazon’s spectrum. In exchange for the deployment deadline relief, Amazon temporarily loses spectrum priority, which could affect its ability to coordinate operations in orbit relative to competitors. Ars Technica describes the waiver as serving the public interest by supporting a second large satellite broadband constellation.
The FCC’s action is widely framed as a step that may increase competition in satellite broadband, including in relation to SpaceX’s Starlink, by preventing Amazon from being out of step with its original milestone schedule.
