The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has authorized Space Exploration Holdings (SpaceX) to construct and deploy a constellation of 4,425 satellites in low earth orbit to provide internet access over virtually every square inch of the earth’s surface.
SpaceX wants to deploy those 4,425 satellites in 83 orbital planes, at an approximate altitude of 1,110 to 1,325 kilometers, operating in the 10.7-12.7 GHz, 12.75-13.25 GHz, 13.85-14.5 GHz, 17.8-18.6 GHz, 18.8-19.3 GHz, 19.7-20.2 GHz, 27.5-29.1 GHz, and 29.3-29.5 GHz and 29.5-30 GHz bands.
It seems likely such constellations proposed by SpaceX, OneWeb, Boeing and Sky and Space Global (SAS) will provide service to both fixed (homes, schools, businesses) as well as “moving” locations such as airplanes, ships, trucks).
Service will be available globally, which obviously has implications for rival internet service providers of all types, in all countries. Some countries might outlaw use of the services, for example.
What perhaps is less clear is the extent of demand (and ability to supply) connections for mobile phones, with equipment and service charges priced low enough to reach a substantial market.
It remains to be seen whether--and just how much--LEOS internet access will prove to be. If successful, it will mark a potential big change in the satellite services market, however. At the moment, the overwhelming revenue source for satellite service operators is consumer TV.
Of total 2017 satellite services revenue of about $127 billion, $98 billion (77 percent) was generated delivering consumer TV services. Internet access generated only about $2 billion (1.5 percent).
Mobile voice and data services amounted to about $3.4 billion (2.6 percent).
So success for the global low earth orbit satellite services business would have to rearrange those revenue sources. Also, over time, the linear satellite TV market is going to decline, as fixed network linear TV demand is waning. So satellite internet represents a major replacement revenue source.
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