Amazon’s Project Kuiper sails forward, looks to get nod from UK regulator

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) hopes to soon gain approval from United Kingdom regulators to deploy Project Kuiper, an initiative to deliver broadband services to underserved and unserved remote communities around the globe.

It will be supported by more than 3,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, and will compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX (SPACE) Starlink network.

U.K. regulator Ofcom said it plans to decide on allowing Amazon Kuiper Services Europe SARL a license to operate in Ka band frequencies by Oct. 4.

If granted, customers can eventually purchase terminals powered by Amazon-designed custom chips. These terminals are designed for residences and small businesses. They come in multiple sizes which offer varying speeds.

In July, Amazon received approval from New Zealand regulators to install equipment related to Project Kuiper.

The e-commerce giant hopes to launch its first satellites before the end of the year. It expects to begin first customer tests in 2025 and launch a commercial service later in the year.

Amazon shares were up 3% during Thursday morning trading.