Amazon Confirms $10B Internet Satellites Investment Push
Amazon’s business empire just got bigger with the e-commerce giant venturing into the internet-beaming business as part of a new $10 billion investment push. After launching its first internet satellites in October, the company has confirmed plans to use laser links to ensure they beam robust and reliable broadband coverage to its users. The push is part of the company’s bid to strengthen its edge in the highly competitive sector dominated by big careers, including Verizon and AT&T.
Amazon Project Kuiper
Project Kuiper is an Amazon push that uses key speed-boosting technology to offer strong and reliable internet connections. In most cases, satellites used in beaming internet connections have limited coverage, which reduces their effectiveness. Amazon intends to bypass this challenge by leveraging laser links that can connect satellites, providing internet connections regardless of location.
The use of laser links to beam internet should allow Amazon to deliver internet connections in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship, even if a spacecraft is not in the range of a ground station. The links could improve both the latency and speed of the connections. This will be made possible by laser-passing requests for an internet connection to a nearby satellite. Amazon has successfully tested the technology using optical inter-satellite links.
Amazon’s latest push is part of a drive that seeks to draw more customers into its robust ecosystem dominated by an e commerce platform and cloud computing services. The use of satellites on the internet should allow the company to keep hold of maritime or air customers as it can beam internet connection to any location. In return, it should be able to sell other services and products to them.
The tech giant intends to operate a constellation of over 3,000 satellites 9n the next few years as it seeks to be a big player in the sector. The company has already ordered 97 rocket launchers to be used in deploying the satellites in the first half of next year. In the long run, the company is ready to spend up to $10 billion to make Project Kuiper a success. Plans are underway to start testing the satellite network next year. Prototypes of the network have already shown that the threat can transmit data at 100 gigabits per second over a distance of 1,000km.
Cheaper Internet Connections
Nevertheless, Amazon is one of many companies to leverage satellites to offer internet connections. Elon Musk linked Space X’s Starlink, which already operates one of the largest constellations of satellites, to beam internet connection to various parts of the world. This is made possible by a network of about 5,000 satellites.
Amazon is banking on the expertise of former employees of Facebook to hit the ground running with its latest salvo of satellite internet connections. Facebook was one of the companies that had plans to offer cheap internet services using its satellites to keep people engaged in its social networking apps. However, it abandoned the plans after embarking on an aggressive restructuring plan that resulted in a shift of focus to the multi-billion advertising business.
