Amazon’s Starlink Rival Preps Wi-Fi Router
November 24, 2025
Amazon Leo, the Starlink rival previously known as Project Kuiper, has received regulatory approval for a Wi-Fi router, a sign that the satellite internet service is closer to launching.
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission issued an equipment authorization for the wireless router, clearing a regulatory step for Amazon to offer the device in the US.
FCCIDLookup.com first noticed the filing for the mysterious product, which bears the model name “L1LA10.” Amazon’s application keeps most of the details under wraps. But the documents show that the router supports Wi-Fi 6, including HE160 for additional bandwidth.
The FCC’s equipment authorization clears the device to emit radio signals over the 2.4 and 5GHz bands—but not over 6GHz bands used for Wi-Fi 6E.
The router also supports a “mesh mode,” along with Bluetooth LE, suggesting it can connect to other devices. However, Amazon also sent a letter to the FCC that indicates the device is meant for indoor use only and contains no batteries. Another document mentions a Kuiper mobile app, which presumably controls the whole experience.
Amazon Leo has already revealed that it plans on selling three dish models for its satellite internet service, letting it target portable users, regular consumers and enterprise customers. However, the company has yet to show off the actual router.
In the filing, the FCC also granted permission to withhold publishing external photos, the user manual, and test setup images of the router for the next 180 days, which also suggests the product’s launch is imminent. An Amazon executive previously revealed that the company is aiming to kick off the satellite internet service in five markets, including the US, sometime in Q1. But a crucial hurdle is flying up enough satellites into space; the Leo constellation currently has just over 150, not enough for consistent coverage.
The other big question is how much Amazon Leo will cost when rival Starlink has already been offering major discounts on its own service, including a new $40-per-month plan in certain areas of the US. So far, Amazon hasn’t said. But in a separate letter to the FCC, the company described Leo as an “affordable, high-speed, low-latency broadband” for US customers.
“Amazon’s LEO [low-Earth orbit] system has been architected with the most demanding customers in mind, including large enterprises, critical infrastructure operators, and the US military, not to mention residential consumers who expect high levels of service,” it added.
About Our Expert
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
-
Remember Trump’s 300% Tariffs on Foreign-Made Chips? Don’t Hold Your Breath
-
Hackers Claim New Mega Breach As Salesforce Investigates Data Thefts
-
White House Trying to Axe Bill Forcing Nvidia, AMD to Prioritize US GPU Buyers
-
Feds Bust a Group Smuggling Nvidia AI GPUs to China
-
Grok: Yep, Elon Musk Is More Fit Than LeBron, More Handsome Than Brad Pitt
-
More from Michael Kan
Search
RECENT PRESS RELEASES
Related Post
