Amazon to launch satellite broadband services in Pakistan by 2026

Kuiper, the project of Amazon to launch satellite broadband services in Pakistan by the end of 2026 under its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite programme, Project Kuiper.

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) announces the details of a significant development following a meeting between the Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunication,  Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and the delegation from Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

Amazon’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite initiative, Project Kuiper, shared its plans to launch satellite broadband services in Pakistan by the end of 2026.

The project, which represents a multi-billion-dollar global investment, is designed to expand high-speed internet access worldwide, particularly in underserved and remote areas.

Federal minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja has welcomed Amazon’s interest, calling it “a step forward in advancing digital inclusion and strengthening Pakistan’s connectivity ecosystem”.

She stated that these investments align with the Government’s vision of building a Digital Nation Pakistan where every citizen, regardless of geography, has access to fast, affordable, and secure internet services.

Project Kuiper is planning to establish ground infrastructure in the country, including gateways and points of presence (PoPs), to support reliable connectivity. The service will use a constellation of up to 3,236 satellites, with broadband speeds of up to 400 Mbps delivered via low-cost terminals.

The collaboration is expected to create new opportunities for Pakistan’s IT sector by enhancing connectivity, supporting innovation, and bridging the digital divide. The Ministry of IT & Telecom reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating global partnerships that contribute to the Prime Minister’s vision for a modern, connected, and inclusive Digital Pakistan.

Read Also: Amazon launches first Kuiper internet satellites, taking on Starlink

The first 27 satellites for Amazon’s Kuiper broadband internet constellation were launched into space from Florida, kicking off the long-delayed deployment of an internet-from-space network that will rival SpaceX’s Starlink.

The satellites are the first of 3,236 that Amazon plans to send into low-Earth orbit for Project Kuiper, a $10 billion effort unveiled in 2019 to beam broadband internet globally for consumers, businesses and governments – customers that SpaceX has courted for years with its powerful Starlink business.

Sitting atop an Atlas V rocket from the Boeing (BA.N), and Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), joint-venture United Launch Alliance, the batch of 27 satellites was lofted into space at 7 p.m. EDT pm from the rocket company’s launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Bad weather scrubbed an initial launch attempt on April 9.

Kuiper is arguably Amazon’s biggest bet under way, pitting it against Starlink as well as global telecommunications providers like AT&T (T.N), and T-Mobile (TMUS.O). The company has positioned the service as a boon to rural areas where connectivity is sparse or nonexistent.