Amazon's competitor to Starlink has just achieved a significant milestone, but don’t anticipate flawless internet service immediately.

      Amazon has made a substantial advancement towards the long-anticipated launch of its satellite internet service. After its latest rocket launch, the company has successfully placed 396 Project Kuiper satellites into low-Earth orbit, which is sufficient to initiate continuous service in select areas. This achievement keeps Amazon aligned with its previously set objective of starting commercial service by mid-2026.

      Recent launches have been pivotal for @AmazonLeo, resulting in the deployment of over 390 satellites, enough to establish continuous service in initial latitudes. There remains considerable work ahead, including elevating these new satellites to their designated altitudes, but we have reached a significant milestone... pic.twitter.com/UZb404fXRq— Chris Weber (@Weber44Chris) July 2, 2026

      However, historical trends indicate that early users may not receive the refined experience that SpaceX’s Starlink currently provides. Like any satellite internet constellation, Project Kuiper will require years of additional launches to realize its complete potential.

      Amazon is now prepared to initiate Project Kuiper.

      Chris Weber, the Vice President at Amazon responsible for Project Kuiper’s business and product strategy, affirmed that the company has sufficient satellites in orbit to ensure continuous coverage in its initial service latitudes. This announcement follows Amazon's recent launch, which expanded its constellation to 396 operational satellites. While this is enough to start providing internet access in chosen regions, it remains only a small portion of Amazon's long-term goal of deploying 3,232 satellites in low-Earth orbit.

      ULA Atlas V rocket launching with the first 27 Project Kuiper satellites. Amazon

      Project Kuiper is Amazon's response to SpaceX's Starlink, designed to deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to households, businesses, and remote areas lacking traditional internet infrastructure. Amazon has reiterated that commercial availability is anticipated to commence in mid-2026, and this latest satellite deployment indicates that the company is on track despite previous launch delays.

      Starlink illustrates the necessity for patience.

      Even though Amazon has reached a key milestone, its network is still in the early stages compared to Starlink. When SpaceX launched its “Better Than Nothing Beta” in 2020, the company had nearly 900 satellites in orbit. At that time, service was restricted to parts of the United States and Canada, with users frequently experiencing connectivity issues, sensitivity to obstacles like trees and buildings, download speeds between 50Mbps and 150Mbps, and latency ranging from 20ms to 40ms.

      These limitations diminished as SpaceX continued its launches. Presently, Starlink operates over 10,000 satellites, catering to customers across more than 160 countries in residential, maritime, aviation, and enterprise sectors. Depending on the subscription plan and location, users can typically expect median download speeds of around 200Mbps, upload speeds between 10Mbps and 40Mbps, and latency close to 25ms.

      The United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully placed 29 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit. Amazon

      Amazon aspires to follow a similar path, but it still has a lengthy journey ahead. The company must deploy thousands more satellites before Project Kuiper can deliver comparable capacity, coverage, and performance. A part of this challenge has been the availability of launch opportunities. Amazon has utilized multiple launch providers while also awaiting Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which is supported by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to begin regular commercial operations.

      If Amazon can sustain its launch pace, Project Kuiper could eventually present itself as Starlink’s first significant large-scale competitor. For now, however, the latest milestone should be regarded as the onset of the journey rather than its conclusion.