A Rival to Starlink? Amazon Leo Is Coming to the PH Soon

(SPOT.ph) Starlink may have been the first satellite internet name to really get attention in the Philippines, but it may not stay the only one for long. Amazon Leo is now being lined up for entry into the Philippines, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Leo marks Amazon’s entry into the satellite broadband space, with the service designed to support everyday internet needs like video calls, streaming, and general browsing, especially in remote locations that are hard to reach via existing networks. As for when it could actually arrive in the Philippines, DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said Amazon Leo could be available before the end of the year.

“Papasok na rin siya. Nagpirmahan na kami with Amazon Leo. They’re undergoing the regulatory application na, but hindi matatapos ang taon, andyan na,” Aguda told ABS-CBN.

If the product is unfamiliar to you, that’s because Amazon Leo is relatively new, with its enterprise preview only starting in November 2025. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in his letter to shareholders that Leo is officially scheduled to launch in mid-2026.

Also read: Starlink Is in the Philippines; Here's What We Know So Far About Elon Musk's Internet Service

Amazon Leo is Amazon’s satellite broadband network. It was rebranded from Project Kuiper in November 2025, with Amazon saying the new name is a nod to what powers the system.

Like Starlink, Leo uses satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) rather than relying on typical land-based infrastructure such as fiber-optic cables and cell towers. The system has three main parts: satellites, ground infrastructure, and customer terminals, which are the devices users need to actually receive the service. Because those satellites are much lower than traditional ones, the service is designed to offer lower latency (i.e. better performance) than older satellite internet systems.

“Leo will offer three unique benefits. First, the performance will be stronger (about six to eight times better on uplink, and two times better on downlink) than what customers have access to now. Second, this performance will come at a lower cost than alternatives. And third, Leo will seamlessly integrate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to enable enterprises and governments to move data back and forth for storage, analytics, and AI,” Jassy said in his letter to shareholders.

Simply put, Leo is expected to offer faster performance than current alternatives—especially for uploads—at a lower cost, while also working smoothly with AWS for cloud storage, analytics, and AI.

The speed will depend on the terminal being used.

Amazon is offering Leo in three versions: Nano, Pro, and Ultra. Nano is the smallest model with speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Pro is the step-up model at up to 400 Mbps. Ultra is the heavy-duty option for more demanding use, including enterprise setups, with download speeds up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds up to 400 Mbps.

Of course, those numbers are based on limited preliminary testing, not confirmed speeds in the real world. Actual performance in the Philippines—once the service is available—would still depend on "geography, weather, wifi performance, plan availability, network congestion and policy, and other factors," as per Amazon.

Also read: How Does Elon Musk’s Starlink Compare to Local Internet Providers?

This is the big question, and right now, the honest answer is: there is still no publicly announced Philippine price. So for now, any peso figures floating around online should be treated carefully unless Amazon or a local regulator formally releases them.

We'll make sure to update this article as soon as we hear word. In the meantime, you can sign up for Amazon Leo's waiting list at the official website.