Amazon has secured Uzbekistan telecoms firm Uztelecom as a partner for its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service.

Amazon Leo this week announced a partnership with Uztelecom. Under the agreement, Uztelecom affiliate UZ-SAT will serve as an authorized distributor of Amazon Leo.

The companies said UZ-SAT will use Amazon Leo to provide satellite Internet to communities and businesses in areas where traditional networks are difficult to deploy.

Via a fiber network totaling more than 234,000 miles (378,000 km), State-owned Uztelecom currently provides connectivity to 96 percent of communities in Uzbekistan, serving more than 13 million users. It launched in 5G services in 2022 and recently said it added 65 new base stations as part of a network upgrade.

"We're excited to bring Amazon Leo to Uzbekistan, delivering high-performance connectivity to communities and businesses that need it most. Collaborations like our agreement with Uztelecom and UZ-SAT are essential to making this a reality—combining our satellite technology with local expertise to open new doors for economic growth, education, and innovation in more places around the world," said Trevor Vieweg, global head of business for Amazon Leo.

"Working with Amazon Leo will enable us to expand connectivity options in areas where the deployment of traditional terrestrial infrastructure is limited. Our goal is to make modern digital technologies more accessible, regardless of where people live or work. Next-generation satellite connectivity will complement Uztelecom's existing infrastructure and provide another important tool for advancing Uzbekistan's digital development," added Bakhrom Azimov, general director of UZ-SAT.

Formerly known as Project Kuiper, Amazon Leo has launched nearly 400 satellites to date – out of a planned 3,000 – and is currently testing the service with employees and with select enterprise customers as part of a private preview. The company expects to begin rolling out initial service in certain locations later this year.

To date, Amazon has signed deals for Leo with Vodafone and Vodacom, Verizon, AT&T, NBN Co., Thaicom, and Vrio. An AWS deal with mining company Gold Fields mentioned using what was then Kuiper for connectivity at its remote locations. Airlines JetBlue and Delta are also customers.