Experts: Closing the Digital Divide Will Take More than Satellites

Although satellite Internet technology has advanced far beyond its initial capabilities, some experts have advised that the emerging broadband solution still has limitations that local and state stakeholders should consider. Carl Russo, CEO of telecommunications company Calix, said for “very rural” places that have no access to other solutions, satellite Internet makes sense. But in less isolated areas, satellite can’t offer what fiber and wireless technology like 5G can. As such, Russo describes satellite Internet as a complementary, not a competitive, technology. SpaceX’s initial application to the Federal Communications Commission stated that each Starlink satellite would have the capacity for 17 to 23 Gbps, or an average of 20 Gbps. With Starlink's plan for 12,000 satellites, the total capacity would be 240,000 Gbps based on the average. On the surface, that number looks like a lot of Internet, Russo said. However, if one considers that LEO satellites are always moving, and that America makes up two percent of Earth’s surface, only 240 satellites, or 4,800 Gbps, would be available to the United States at a given time. “Any small city would obliterate that [Internet capacity],” Russo said.