Updated
Updated · Engadget · Sep 22
Amazon Brings Leo to Uzbekistan as 96% of Communities Already Have Internet
Updated
Updated · Engadget · Sep 22

Amazon Brings Leo to Uzbekistan as 96% of Communities Already Have Internet

3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Sep 22

Summary

  • Uzbekistan will get Amazon’s Leo satellite internet through a partnership with Uztelecom aimed at remote mountain and desert areas that are hard to reach with cables.
  • Uztelecom already serves 96% of communities, and Amazon said Leo will complement that network by filling coverage gaps rather than replacing existing infrastructure.
  • Leo has not publicly launched, so Amazon gave no start date for Uzbekistan; the service is still being tested with employees and select enterprise customers ahead of a broader rollout later this year.
  • Amazon has about 400 satellites in orbit and plans more than 3,000, still far behind SpaceX’s more than 11,000 as it tries to build a credible Starlink rival.

Insights

Why is Amazon testing its Starlink rival in remote Uzbekistan, and what does this mean for the global satellite internet race?
Will Amazon's massive new satellite constellation and Globalstar acquisition be enough to dethrone SpaceX in the battle for global connectivity?