Amazon has landed its first major customer for its satellite internet venture, Project Kuiper, in a landmark agreement with Australia’s state-owned National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co).
The deal will see Project Kuiper deliver satellite internet services to more than 300,000 homes and businesses in remote parts of Australia by mid-2026, a key step in Amazon’s challenge to SpaceX’s dominant Starlink service.
Under the partnership, Amazon’s yet-to-be-fully-deployed Project Kuiper will support NBN Co’s satellite infrastructure, offering much-needed internet access to Australians living in underserved rural and regional areas.
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“Australia’s vast geography presents unique connectivity challenges that traditional infrastructure often can’t overcome,” said Joe Lathan, Project Kuiper’s country manager for Australia and New Zealand. “This partnership with NBN Co represents our commitment to solving these challenges through innovation and collaboration.”
While SpaceX’s Starlink has already established itself as a global leader in space-based internet—with over 8,000 satellites launched and commercial operations in more than 110 countries—Amazon is only at the early stages of deploying its Kuiper satellite constellation. So far, the company has launched just 78 satellites, with its next batch scheduled to go up on August 7. The full constellation is expected to comprise 3,236 satellites.
Although the NBN Co deal is the first announced major partnership for Project Kuiper, Amazon has said it plans to begin customer service by late 2025. Details on pricing and service areas have not yet been disclosed. Still, the agreement signals growing confidence in Amazon’s ambitions to become a major player in global broadband from space—a market that has rapidly accelerated as more governments and corporations invest in non-terrestrial connectivity solutions.
The move intensifies the race between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, two of the most powerful figures in space technology. Musk’s SpaceX, through its Starlink network, has surged ahead in building a global customer base, already reaching markets in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Australia. Starlink’s early advantage stems from its aggressive launch schedule and integration with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which allows for frequent and large-scale satellite deployments.
Bezos, on the other hand, is relying on his Blue Origin space company—along with other launch providers—to get Kuiper satellites into orbit. While delays in Kuiper’s rollout have slowed Amazon’s entry into the market, the deal with NBN Co marks a significant milestone, offering proof of government-level interest in Kuiper’s future capabilities.
For Australia, the agreement helps strengthen digital inclusion in far-flung regions where fiber and mobile connectivity remain impractical or unaffordable. For Amazon, it presents an opportunity to test and validate its satellite system on a national scale, while positioning Kuiper as a potential alternative to Starlink in future global partnerships.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on low-earth orbit satellites to bridge connectivity gaps, the rivalry between Amazon and SpaceX is shaping into a defining battle in the next era of internet infrastructure—one fought not in data centers, but across the skies.
Though much remains unproven—especially around delivery timelines, performance benchmarks, and pricing—the deal significantly boosts Project Kuiper’s credibility. However, Amazon is expected to move quickly. SpaceX plans to increase its Starlink fleet and expand its services globally, including aviation and mobile partnerships, putting pressure on Bezos to deliver results soon.