Amazon says its satellite internet service is finally ready to switch on. According to The Verge, the company now has enough spacecraft in low-Earth orbit to begin lighting up Amazon Leo, its competitor to SpaceX's Starlink.
With last night's launch, Amazon Leo reached 396 satellites deployed, which Amazon says is "enough to support continuous service across initial latitudes." In other words, the constellation has crossed a threshold where it can start delivering coverage rather than just building toward it.
That said, the reporting urges patience. As The Verge notes, early adopters of Amazon Leo should temper their expectations at this stage. Reaching a minimum number of satellites is a milestone, but it is not the same as full, mature, everywhere-on-Earth service.
The idea behind constellations like Leo and Starlink is to blanket low-Earth orbit with many satellites so that, as one moves out of view, another moves in to take over the connection. That is what "continuous service" refers to: enough satellites overhead at any given moment to keep a signal steady. The mention of "initial latitudes" suggests coverage will start in certain bands of the globe before expanding.
Why it matters: satellite internet is becoming a real race, and Amazon crossing this tipping point means Starlink is about to face its first serious large-scale rival — which could eventually mean more choices, and potentially better prices, for people in areas that traditional broadband has left behind.