Look out: LEO satellite goes commercial

Satellite broadband is undergoing a period of reinvention through the low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation model that re-emerged five years ago from OneWeb, SpaceX and a range of other participants. Momentum and industry traction have been underpinned by a reduced cost structure and higher performance capability relative to legacy geostationary satellites that operate at much higher altitudes. Continuing to drive this demand are the global internet divide and poor broadband in rural areas of higher-income countries (along with an unfavourable cost/benefit equation for land-based network expansion). The LEO constellation approach has potential to ameliorate both of these issues. With commercial launches imminent, we assess the implications for connectivity and competing approaches of retail versus wholesale.