Amazon could break into the UK broadband business before the end of this year after the tech giant unveiled its new ‘Project Kuiper’ programme which will use satellites in low-earth orbit to deliver high speed, low latency internet to consumers.
According to a regulatory filing seen by UKTN, the firm”plans to make services commercially available in the UK in 2025.”This includes providing connectivity to those in rural places where broadband connectivity is poor, as the firm hopes to “close the digital divide”.
The regulatory listing says that Project Kuiper will use radio waves to “serve both retail, enterprise, and government customers.” The planned satellite constellation will initially consist of just over 3000 satellites in varying levels of orbit.
To provide internet Kuiper’s satellites will connect to consumer terminals such as satellite antennae, but a regulatory filing says that Amazon is also looking into the possibility of using a direct to device (D2D) service in the future.
This would allow mobile phones to communicate with Kuiper’s satellites directly, rather than having to route through phone masts.
Amazon says D2D capability could complement terrestrial mobile wireless service by helping reach remote areas or provide connectivity during an emergency or natural disaster.
While Ofcom has not yet formally given a network license to Kuiper, the firm is expected to be given permission to operate in the UK, opening the door for it to disrupt the country’s satellite broadband market.
The firm’s biggest competitor will be Starlink, the internet provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which already has a significant presence in the country with over 87,000 customers in the UK and more than 4 million worldwide.
Its constellation of satellites, which amounts to almost 7,000 with plans to launch hundreds more, is already double that of Kuiper’s, allowing Musk’s firm to meet greater demand.
Despite this, Amazon believes that there is a place for its Kuiper network in the market, challenging the dominance of Musk’s provider.
Consumers may welcome this; Starlink capacity in the South East of England is already full. The prospect of more satellite-powered broadband could therefore be appealing to those on the wait list.
British consumers are not the only potential customers. The Sunday Telegraph reports that Amazon had met with British defence officials as it positions itself to target military contracts for its satellite network.
They report that transparency filings showed that Kuiper executives met with Air Marshall Paul Godfrey, who was head of the UK’s Space Command at the time, in February 2024 to discuss a study carried out by the company for the British military.
The satellite infrastructure that Starlink provides has already been shown to be of great value to the US government. Should Amazon win contracts from the UK government, Kuiper could replicate that success.
Register for Free
Get daily updates and enjoy an ad-reduced experience.
Already have an account? Log in
