6G Podcast - Amazon's $11B Acquisition, Verizon & FIFA, AST SpaceMobile Launch, Ericsson's Struggles

The $11 billion Amazon‑Globalstar acquisition is the retailer’s largest telecom deal since Whole Foods. Amazon will retain Globalstar’s existing constellation, which currently powers Apple’s emergency‑text service on iPhone 14 and newer, giving it an immediate D2D capability. By 2028 Amazon plans to launch its own Leo satellites, promising lower latency than Apple’s current link and SpaceX’s Starlink mobile service. Leo will be sold to mobile network operators worldwide, positioning Amazon for enterprise and airline connectivity and marking a decisive entry into the satellite‑backed communications market.

Ericsson’s Q1 earnings revealed a 10 % revenue drop to $5.4 billion, prompting the Swedish vendor to retreat from the U.S. market and chase growth in emerging regions where 5G‑Standalone is still rolling out. Competition from Huawei and ZTE is eroding market share in Turkey and other fast‑growing territories. With operators now in a spend‑down phase after massive 5G deployments, equipment makers are hunting new revenue streams such as private wireless, defense contracts, and future 6G research—a timeline that remains several years away.

Verizon continues to expand its millimeter‑wave (mmWave) network, now seeing connections in 91 U.S. markets—a jump from 75 a year earlier—despite the band’s 150‑200 meter range. The push, championed by former CEO Hans Vestberg, shows belief that high‑frequency spectrum can deliver niche capacity in dense urban cores. Simultaneously, the NTIA’s plan to release the 2.7 GHz band and its roadmap toward a 7 GHz window for 6G signal growing government support for additional mid‑band resources. New spectrum typically triggers fresh network builds, offering a lifeline to vendors while enriching operator toolkits.