Amazon’s Starlink competitor is launching with ‘world’s fastest satellite internet antenna’

On Monday, Amazon announced Leo Ultra, the first antenna for its satellite internet service, which is launching in a private preview ahead of a commercial rollout sometime next year. Leo Ultra is made for “business and government customers,” unlike the other two, smaller Leo antenna options. No pricing or availability details have been announced, but this gives us our first good look at the 20-by-30-inch design and specs of the new antenna. 

Amazon claims Leo Ultra is “the fastest customer terminal in production,” offering up to 1Gbps downloads and 400Mbps uploads simultaneously, along with private networking services and direct connections to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other cloud networks. A smaller 11-inch Pro antenna will support up to 400 Mbps down, while the 7-inch-square Nano will be able to handle up to 100Mbps.

For comparison, Starlink’s business plans support up to 400Mbps downloads, less than half of the maximum Amazon is advertising, although SpaceX’s upcoming V3 Starlink satellite will reportedly support up to 1Tbps. 

Additional bandwidth aside, the private networking services on Amazon Leo could be another major advantage over older, pre-Starlink satellite internet networks currently in use. Researchers at UC San Diego and the University of Maryland recently reported spotting serious security vulnerabilities with unencrypted GEO satellite links, allowing them to access VoIP calls, SMS messages, login credentials, corporate emails, and other data being sent in the clear.