The terminal targets business and government deployments and competes directly with Starlink. Its focus: high speeds, low latency, and AWS integration.
Amazon introduces the Leo Ultra terminal, the most advanced satellite internet terminal the company has produced so far. Pricing and full availability haven’t been confirmed, but the product is designed for enterprise customers, offering gigabit-level performance, improved security, and native integration with AWS.
The Leo Ultra sits at the top of Amazon’s Project Kuiper lineup and is meant to be installed permanently on a roof or mast. Unlike old-school satellite dishes with spinning hardware, it tracks satellites electronically, which makes setup easier and reduces the chances of something breaking.
According to Amazon, the Leo Ultra is the fastest terminal of its kind currently available. It supports download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and uploads of up to 400 Mbps. The device uses custom silicon, a proprietary RF design, and signal-processing optimized for the Kuiper satellite network to achieve this level of performance.
This performance level puts the Leo Ultra well above Amazon’s other Kuiper terminals, including the Leo Pro at 400 Mbps and the Leo Nano at 100 Mbps. It also surpasses SpaceX’s Starlink Performance Kit for business users, which currently offers download speeds up to 400 Mbps.
A defining advantage for Amazon is the Leo Ultra’s seamless integration with AWS. The system includes a “Direct to AWS” pathway, enabling data to flow straight from the terminal into a customer’s private cloud environment without crossing the public internet.
The company says the link works as an extension of a customer’s private network. It’s designed not as basic backhaul, but as a platform for secure, private satellite networking that aligns with enterprise routing and security standards.
The security push comes as researchers continue to identify weaknesses in legacy geostationary satellite networks. A recent study from UC San Diego and the University of Maryland found widespread unencrypted traffic on GEO systems, including exposed corporate emails, credentials, and operational data. Amazon’s focus on encryption and private networking is aimed squarely at organizations seeking a more secure alternative to aging satellite infrastructure.
Amazon is highlighting reduced latency as a major benefit of the LEO architecture. With satellites positioned between 590 and 630 kilometers up, the signal path is far shorter than that of GEO satellites located over 35,000 kilometers away. This shorter travel time is especially important for applications that depend on real-time responsiveness, such as conferencing, cloud workloads, and telemetry.
The release of Leo Ultra aligns with Amazon’s ongoing expansion of its satellite constellation, which currently includes roughly 150 satellites and is continuing to grow toward initial operational capacity. With strong performance, integration with AWS, and a focus on security, Amazon is aiming to position itself as a preferred connectivity option for cloud-based enterprises.
Maybe you would like other interesting articles?