Select businesses will be able to test Amazon Leo production hardware and software as part of an “enterprise preview” of the service “ahead of a wider rollout,” the company said in a blog post. The test program will allow Amazon to collect feedback and “tailor solutions for specific industries” ahead of a broader launch, the company said.
Earlier this month, Amazon rebranded its satellite internet offering from Project Kuiper to Amazon Leo and launched a new website to promote the service. The name leans into low Earth orbit, a slice of space that’s within 1,200 miles of Earth’s surface and where Amazon’s satellite constellation will be centered.
Six years ago, Amazon announced plans for a constellation of 3,236 low Earth satellites that would provide high speed, low latency internet to consumers, corporations and governments. These satellites are designed to connect customers through square-shaped terminals.
The company has launched more than 150 satellites since April through rocket launches that were organized through partners such as United Launch Alliance and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
It’s trying to compete in a market dominated by Starlink, a SpaceX network, which has actually deployed close to 9,000 satellites.
Amazon has partnered with companies such as JetBlue, L3Harris, and Australia’s NBN internet network, among many others. This comes after Amazon announced it has begun shipping its “Pro” terminals, along with “Ultra” antennas, to participants in its enterprise preview program.
In what it calls a “major leap forward,” the company has demonstrated the production design of the Ultra model, whose download speed touches 1 gigabit per second and the uploads reach 400 megabits per second, powered by “its custom silicon chip, making it the fastest commercial phased array antenna in production.”
Amazon has reported that it anticipates increasing the number of qualifying individuals to take part in the program as the company adds more coverage and capacity to the Leo network.
As of now, pricing details have not been announced by the company.
Amazon launches first Kuiper internet satellites into space
