Federal Communications Commission DA 26-550 DA 26-550 Released: June 4, 2026 GLOBALSTAR, INC. AND AMAZON.COM, INC. SEEK FCC CONSENT AND APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED ASSIGNMENT AND TRANSFER OF CONTROL OF LICENSES AND AUTHORIZATIONS HELD BY GLOBALSTAR TO AMAZON Pleading Cycle Established GN Docket No. 26-134 Petitions to Deny Due: July 6, 2026 Oppositions Due: July 21, 2026 Replies Due: July 31, 2026 By this Public Notice, the Space Bureau (SB), Office of Engineering and Technology (OET), Office of International Affairs (OIA), and Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) announce that the application for assignment and transfer of control of the licenses and authorizations held by Globalstar, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (Globalstar) to Amazon.com, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (Amazon) (collectively, the Applicants) has been found, upon initial review, to be acceptable for filing. Application for Consent to Assign and Transfer Control of Licenses and Authorizations, ICFS File No. ITC-T/C-20260417-00114 (filed May 26, 2026) (Application). See also ICFS File Nos. SAT-T/C-20260426-00174, SAT-T/C-20260426-00138, SAT-T/C-20260426-00137; ELS File Nos. 0080-EX-TU-2026, 0069-EX-TC-2026 (filed May 26, 2026). The Commission reserves the right to return any of these applications if, upon further examination, it is determined to be defective and not in conformance with the Commission’s rules or policies. Exhibit A to the Application includes a list of the licenses and authorizations held by Globalstar, Inc., Globalstar Licensee LLC, and GUSA Licensee LLC that are subject to the Transaction. Application, Public Interest Statement at n. 2, Exh. A. Description of Transaction. On May 26, 2026, Globalstar and Amazon filed an application pursuant to sections 214(a) and 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, seeking the Commission’s approval and consent to the assignment and transfer of control of Globalstar’s space station licenses, earth station licenses, domestic and international section 214 authorizations, and experimental license (the Transaction). 47 U.S.C. §§ 214(a), 310(d); 47 CFR §§ 5.79, 63.04, 63.18, 63.24, 25.119. See Application, Public Interest Statement at 1. As a result of the Transaction, Amazon will acquire 100% control of Globalstar, the Globalstar subsidiaries, and the licenses and authorizations held by them as a result of the Transaction. Application, Public Interest Statement at 11. Specifically, Globalstar will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon, the Globalstar U.S. subsidiaries will retain their corporate identities and Commission authorizations, and Globalstar will operate as an affiliate to Kuiper Systems LLC. Id. at 10, 11. The Applicants state that granting the Transaction will bring enhanced data coverage to areas that are unserved or underserved, strengthen emergency communications capabilities, and fuel growth in industrial and enterprise data services to drive innovation and job creation in the space sector. Id. at 2, 20-23.   The Applicants claim that their combination will accelerate competition in the provision of a ubiquitous direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service by augmenting Globalstar’s existing and planned services with new Amazon Leo D2D satellites. Id. at 2, 17-20.  Amazon states that it intends to file a license application to operate a global D2D satellite system for MSS connectivity designed to complement the Amazon LEO NGSO FSS system.  See id. at 6, Exh. B. Additionally, they contend that the Transaction would enhance and accelerate competition by introducing a new entrant to compete in the mobile-satellite service (MSS) market and expanding consumer choice and access through a multi-carrier, multi-vendor architecture on a global basis. Id. at 14-15. The Applicants further argue that they provide complementary services, and that the Transaction therefore provides significant benefits with no accompanying competitive harms. Id. at 2, 25-26.   Globalstar is a provider of MSS connectivity for voice and data services using the “Big LEO” frequency bands Big LEO refers to low-Earth orbit (LEO) MSS services above 1 GHz. for emergency communications, asset tracking, maritime and aviation connectivity, and supplemental mobile coverage. Application, Public Interest Statement at 6, 25-27. Two of Globalstar’s wholly-owned U.S. subsidiaries – GUSA Licensee LLC and Globalstar Licensee LLC (the Globalstar Subsidiaries) – hold Commission authorizations. Id. at 9, Exh. A, Globalstar, Inc. Licenses and Authorizations. GUSA Licensee LLC holds a blanket license to operate mobile earth stations, as well as three international section 214 authorizations for global facilities-based and resold telecommunications services. See Application, Public Interest Statement at 9, n.21. Amazon states that it will continue to comply with the terms of two pre-existing transition agreements between the Globalstar entities and the U.S. Department of War, Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. See International Authorizations Granted, Report No. TEL-00191, DA No. 00-361; International Authorizations Granted, Public Notice, IB Docket No. 04-4 (Mar. 8, 2004). Globalstar Licensee LLC holds a space station license to operate service links in the 1.6/2.4 GHz band (1610-1626.5 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 2483.5-2500 MHz (space-to-Earth)) and feeder links in the 5 GHz/7 GHz band (5091-5250 MHz (Earth-to-space) and 6875-7055 MHz (space-to-Earth)), several fixed feeder link earth station licenses at six different gateway sites in the United States, and a domestic section 214 authorization. Application, Public Interest Statement at 9-10. Globalstar Inc., the parent company, holds an experimental license.. See Globalstar, Inc., File No. 0334-EX-CN-2026 (granted Apr. 13, 2026). Globalstar Licensee LLC holds a U.S. market access grant authorization to allow its fixed and mobile earth stations in the U.S. and U.S. territories to communicate with the HIBLEO-X satellites, licensed by France. Globalstar Licensee LLC additionally has a pending petition for declaratory ruling seeking U.S. market access for its planned Globalstar C-3 MSS system of 48 NGSO satellites, licensed by the Republic of France by Globalstar’s wholly-owned subsidiary Globalstar France SAS, pursuant to its AST-NG-C-3 filing at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). See Petition for Declaratory Ruling Granting Access to the U.S. Market for the Globalstar-C3 MSS System, ICFS File No. SAT-PDR-20250214-00047, S3233 (filed Feb. 14, 2025). The petition was accepted for filing and placed on public notice. See Satellite Licensing Division and Satellite Programs and Policy Division Information, Space Station Applications Accepted for Filing, Public Notice, Report No. SAT-01923 (rel. May 30, 2025). We note that the comment window on this petition has elapsed and this Public Notice does not seek additional comment on this petition. Globalstar’s MSS system is comprised of both its U.S.-licensed HIBLEO-4 satellites and HIBLEO-X satellites, operating as one system. See Globalstar Licensee LLC, Application for Modification of Non-Geostationary Mobile Satellite Service System Authorization, Order and Authorization, 39 FCC Rcd 9346, ICFS File No. SAT-MOD-20230804-00192 (Aug. 16, 2024) (granting in part and deferring in part Globalstar’s application for modification to authorize HIBLEO-4 replacement satellites in the Big LEO bands). The U.S. market access grant for the HIBLEO-X system will also be assigned by Globalstar but is not part of this Application because prior consent is not required for such assignments. Amazon is deploying an NGSO FSS satellite communications network to provide satellite communications and data services to residential customers, enterprises, and government users. Amazon’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Kuiper LLC, operating under the brand name Amazon Leo, is positioned to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband services through its Amazon Leo NGSO FSS space station authorizations in the Ka-, Ku-, and V-bands and earth station authorizations to connect to the Amazon Leo systems. Application, Public Interest Statement at 2, n. 8 (listing Amazon Leo earth station authorizations). See Kuiper Systems LLC Application for Authority to Deploy and Operate a Ka-band Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit System, Order and Authorization, 35 FCC Rcd 8324 (2020) (Gen1 Authorization); Kuiper Systems LLC, ICFS File Nos. SAT-LOA-20211104-00145, SAT-AMD-20250311-00068 (granted, in part, Feb. 10, 2026) (authorizing Amazon Leo’s Gen2 and Polar systems). Amazon Leo is authorized to launch, operate, and deploy 3,232 NGSO satellites. Amazon has additionally invested significant resources and capital into its satellite and equipment manufacturing and processing capacities in the U.S., which it contends will further support and upgrade Globalstar’s existing systems and infrastructure while simultaneously launching its Amazon Leo systems. See Application, Public Interest Statement at 4-5, 18. The Applicants assert that grant of the Application would serve the public interest, convenience and necessity, and would not violate any statue or Commission rule or raise issues in the areas of national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, or trade policy. Id. at 11-12 The Applicants claim that the Transaction complies with all limitations on foreign ownership under section 310 of the Act and would not otherwise conflict with any applicable provision of the Communications Act or the Commission’s rules. Id. at 25. The Applicants do not request any waivers of the Commission’s rules. Ex Parte Rules. Pursuant to section 1.1200(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.1200(a). the Commission may adopt modified or more stringent ex parte procedures in particular proceedings if the public interest so requires. We announce that this proceeding will be governed by permit-but-disclose ex parte procedures that are applicable to non-restricted proceedings under section 1.1206 of the Commission’s rules. Id. at § 1.1206. This proceeding shall be treated as a “permit-but-disclose” proceeding in accordance with the Commission’s ex parte rules. Id. at §§ 1.1200 et seq. Entities or persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies). Entities or persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda summarizing the presentation must: (1) list all persons attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex parte presentation was made; and (2) summarize all data presented and arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already reflected in the presenter’s written comments, memoranda or other filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by rule 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Id. at § 1.1206(b). Participants in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission’s ex parte rules. Comment Period and Filing Requirements. Interested parties may file pleadings on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this document. All filings may be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). Filings should refer to Docket Number GN 26-134 when filing in response to this Public Notice. · Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically by accessing ECFS at http://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. · Paper filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. o Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, or by commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. o Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC’s mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building. o Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. o Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. One copy of each pleading, ex parte submission, or other filing must be delivered electronically, by email, or if delivered as paper copy, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (according to the procedures set forth above for paper filings), to: (1) Stephen Duall, Space Bureau, stephen.duall@fcc.gov; (2) Aleksandr Yankelevich, Office of Economics and Analytics, aleks.yankelevich@fcc.gov; (3) Thomas Struble, Office of Engineering & Technology, thomas.struble@fcc.gov; (4) Karen Johnson, Office of International Affairs, karen.johnson@fcc.gov; (5) Gregory Kwan, Wireline Competition Bureau, gregory.kwan@fcc.gov; and (6) Joel Rabinovitz, Office of General Counsel, at TransactionTeam@fcc.gov. Any submission emailed to these individuals should include in the subject line of the email: (1) GN Docket Number 26-134; (2) the name of the submitting party; and (3) a brief description or title identifying the type of document being submitted (e.g., XX Docket Number 26-###; Widget Corp., Notice of Ex Parte Communications). People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice). -FCC- 2