Amazon has reached a key milestone in its effort to build a satellite-based internet service, announcing that its Leo low Earth orbit satellite network now has enough spacecraft in orbit to begin offering limited commercial connectivity.With 396 satellites currently deployed, the company says it can provide continuous service across initial latitude ranges.However, this early stage deployment is expected to deliver uneven performance and remain significantly behind established competitors.

The service is part of Amazon’s broader plan to deploy a total constellation of 3,232 satellites, designed to compete directly with SpaceX’s Starlink network.While Amazon has achieved initial operational capability, it is still in the early phases of scaling its infrastructure.Industry observers note that it will likely take years before Amazon can match Starlink’s performance levels, coverage, and reliability.The article compares Amazon’s progress with SpaceX’s rollout trajectory.

Starlink initially launched its “Better than nothing beta” in 2020 with nearly 900 satellites in orbit, serving limited regions in the United States and Canada.Early users experienced inconsistent connectivity, with speeds ranging roughly from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps and latency between 20 ms and 40 ms.Over time, Starlink expanded and improved significantly, eventually growing into a global network.Today, SpaceX operates more than 10,000 Starlink satellites, providing service across more than 160 countries, including land, sea, and air coverage.

Typical performance now includes median download speeds around 200 Mbps, upload speeds between 10 Mbps and 40 Mbps, and latency near 25 ms, although results vary depending on location, equipment, and network load.

Amazon’s system is expected to follow a similar gradual improvement path, starting with limited coverage and progressively expanding as more satellites are launched and the network matures.