Amazon recently announced it will acquire satellite firm Globalstar in a deal valued at $11.57 billion, a move that expands its space-based internet ambitions as it works to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink network.

The transaction adds Globalstar's two dozen satellites to Amazon's existing constellation of more than 200. Amazon is aiming to deploy roughly 3,200 satellites into low Earth orbit by 2029, with approximately half of those required to be in place by a regulatory deadline in July, according to a report by Reuters on the matter.

The Reuters report states that Globalstar's network is designed to provide Direct-to-Device connectivity, which allows mobile phones and other gadgets to link directly to satellites without relying on ground-based cellular towers. The technology is considered essential for emergency services and delivering coverage in remote areas with limited infrastructure. Amazon and Globalstar said the deal would enable Amazon to begin offering D2D services from 2028.

Starlink, the satellite unit of SpaceX, already serves more than nine million users globally with high-speed broadband through user terminals. It is also developing D2D capabilities through partnerships with telecom operators, including T-Mobile.

Amazon is preparing to launch its satellite internet services later this year, adds the report.