Verizon and Project Kuiper, an advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network from Amazon made a strategic collaboration to develop connectivity solutions for unserved and underserved communities. As part of the collaboration, Project Kuiper and Verizon have begun to develop technical specifications and define preliminary commercial models for a range of connectivity services for US consumers and global enterprise customers operating in rural and remote locations around the world.
Verizon chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg said, “Project Kuiper offers flexibility and unique capabilities for an LEO satellite system, and we’re excited about the prospect of adding a complementary connectivity layer to our existing partnership with Amazon. We know the future will be built on our leading 5G network, designed for mobility, fixed wireless access and real-time cloud computing. More importantly, we believe that the power of this technology must be accessible for all. Today’s announcement will help us explore ways to bridge that divide and accelerate the benefits and innovation of wireless connectivity, helping benefit our customers on both a global and local scale.”
Connecting unserved and underserved communities in the United States
The partnership seeks to expand coverage and deliver new customer-focused connectivity solutions that combine Amazon’s advanced LEO satellite system and Verizon’s world-class wireless technology and infrastructure. To begin, Amazon and Verizon will focus on expanding Verizon data networks using cellular backhaul solutions from Project Kuiper. The integration will leverage antenna development already in progress from the Project Kuiper team.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said, “There are billions of people without reliable broadband access, and no single company will close the digital divide on its own. Verizon is a leader in wireless technology and infrastructure, and we’re proud to be working together to explore bringing fast, reliable broadband to the customers and communities who need it most. We look forward to partnering with companies and organizations around the world who share this commitment.”
Delivering new connectivity solutions for global enterprise customers
This partnership will also pave the way for Project Kuiper and Verizon to design and deploy new connectivity solutions across a range of domestic and global industries, from agriculture and energy to manufacturing and transportation. The Kuiper System is designed with the flexibility and capacity to support enterprises of all sizes. By pairing those capabilities with Verizon’s wireless, private networking, and edge computing solutions, the two will be able to extend connectivity to businesses operating and deploying assets on a global scale.
Amazon and Verizon have previously teamed up to serve customers across many industries, including integrating Verizon's 5G Edge MEC platform with AWS Wavelength and forming the Voice Interoperability Initiative. This collaboration builds on the relationship between the two companies and lays the groundwork for Amazon and Verizon to serve additional consumer and global enterprise customers around the world.
