Amazon is negotiating the purchase of satellite operator Globalstar for a value close to 9 billion dollars. This strategic move aims to create a strong competitor against SpaceX's Starlink. The key is not in the number of satellites, where Starlink has an advantage, but in an intangible asset of Globalstar: its valuable licensed radio spectrum.
The Strategic Value of Licensed Spectrum for Project Kuiper 🛰️
While Starlink operates in spectrum bands that require coordination to avoid interference, Globalstar holds exclusive rights over specific frequencies. This licensed spectrum is a scarce and regulated resource that guarantees stable communications. For Amazon, integrating this asset into its Kuiper project would be a key operational advantage, ensuring service quality without conflicts with other networks.
Buying the Highway Instead of Building Cars 🛣️
It seems the game is no longer about launching more satellites than anyone else. Now the strategy is to acquire the rights to the road they travel on. While some strive to manufacture trucks, Amazon prefers to buy the toll. It's a practical approach: why fight over airspace when you can own the air itself? A move of quite terrestrial monopoly.