What just happened? Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network has reached the point where it can begin delivering continuous internet service in some areas, bringing its Starlink competitor out of the testing phase. After its latest launch, the company has 396 satellites in orbit. That number is "enough to support continuous service across initial latitudes," according to Chris Weber, vice president of business and product for Amazon Leo. That puts Amazon on track for its mid-2026 commercial launch goal, but the company has signaled that early service will be limited.
Starlink's public beta offers a useful comparison. When SpaceX rolled out to the public in 2020, it had nearly 900 satellites in orbit, but the service was uneven. Early users in northern parts of the United States and Canada reported frequent interruptions and high sensitivity to obstructions. Speeds generally ranged from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps, with latency from 20 to 40 milliseconds. By 2022, service and coverage had already improved as SpaceX added more satellites.
Early adopters of Amazon's Leo service can expect a similar experience at first, with performance improving as additional satellites are sent into orbit. With each launch, Amazon adds capacity and coverage, which should gradually smooth out speeds and latency.
– Chris Weber (@Weber44Chris) July 2, 2026
For now, Amazon's network is far smaller than Starlink's. SpaceX operates over 10,000 Starlink satellites, serving users on land, at sea, and in the air in more than 160 countries. Performance varies by dish, plan, time of day, and location, but median download speeds are around 200 Mbps and uploads run between 10 Mbps and 40 Mbps. Latency generally sits near 25 milliseconds.
Amazon is still far behind that scale. Its full plan calls for 3,232 satellites, and building out that constellation will take time. Progress has been slowed by launch bottlenecks, including delays with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, which still isn't flying on a regular schedule.
Even so, the latest launch moves the project from pure testing into its first phase of real service. At this point, Amazon says it's ready to begin initial service, with coverage and performance likely to improve as more satellites are added.
The next phase will depend on how quickly Amazon can keep launching satellites and turning them into usable service. Amazon has passed an early milestone, but building a dense, reliable global network will take years and many more launches.