The fact that Amazon is planning a broadband Internet service using satellites has been reported steadily. However, it is said that it has submitted an application to launch more than 3,000 broadband satellites to the FCC of the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the regulation of the US broadcasting and communications business.
Amazon said it has requested permission to launch 3,236 broadband satellites that can cover the entire United States and other regions. It is said that the first week of July application was submitted to Amazon’s subsidiary Kuiper Systems, which required FCC approval.
According to the data, Kepler Systems will launch a broadband satellite covering a range from 56 degrees north latitude to 56 degrees south latitude. It is said that it will be possible. However, some of them, such as Alaska, are outside the scope of this service, so the provision is said to be excluded.
News that Amazon intends to provide broadband services using satellites was reported in April. Reports revealed the existence of a project called Project Kuiper, which covers the entire Earth through more than 3,000 satellites.
Amazon has requested permission from the FCC to launch more than 3,000 satellites, but the FCC rules launch more than 50% of what it planned within six years after the launch is approved, and all satellites need to be launched within nine years. Satellite broadband services by Amazon can also be predicted to start during this period.
Broadband services that Amazon intends to build using satellites include not only home fixed Internet services, but also mobile lines. According to the application, Amazon noted that its network will be made available to mobile phone operators, suggesting the possibility that small local carriers will be able to purchase bandwidth from Amazon to provide pleasant service in areas with insufficient mobile network coverage.
In addition, Amazon said that Kepler Systems complements the efforts of fixed terrestrial carriers and mobile carriers, and also helps to bridge the gap in existing network service quality because it provides network services to regions that are geographically difficult or expensive. . Amazon also plans to provide backhaul services for Internet service providers.
It is unclear whether Amazon will sell its broadband service directly to consumers or for carriers. But Amazon says it is building customer terminals that provide Ethernet connectivity for homes and businesses.
Amazon plans to operate satellites at altitudes of 590 km, 610 km, and 630 km, and satellites in these low orbits provide much shorter latency than conventional satellite systems. Therefore, it is pointed out that there is a possibility of becoming a practical substitute for the existing wired broadband network. In addition, globally, even in developed countries, high-speed broadband communication services are often not available in some regions. Amazon is appealing that fixed broadband services are also available in hard-to-reach areas, helping to bridge the digital divide. The application did not indicate the exact speed or price of the broadband service to be offered, but he says it will be a fast, low-latency broadband service. Amazon plans to launch 3,236 satellites in five stages. In the first phase, 578 units are launched and commercial operations begin. But Amazon needs to convince the FCC that it has plans to avoid orbital debris at the end of its lifetime. Amazon appears to be planning to incinerate the abandoned satellites in the atmosphere after reorbiting, but it would take about a year to do so. Related information can be found here .