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Technology Types

LEO Satellite (Low-Earth Orbit)

Satellite internet delivered from constellations orbiting 300-1,200 miles above Earth, offering low-latency broadband anywhere on the planet without terrestrial infrastructure.

What It Means

Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations operate at altitudes of roughly 340 to 1,200 miles, compared to the 22,236-mile altitude of geostationary (GEO) satellites. The short distance cuts round-trip latency from roughly 600 ms (GEO) to 20 to 40 ms (LEO), comparable to cable internet. SpaceX Starlink is the dominant LEO broadband provider, operating over 6,000 active satellites as of 2024 with plans for up to 42,000. Starlink delivers 50 to 250 Mbps download and 10 to 25 Mbps upload for residential customers at $120 per month plus $599 for the hardware terminal, with roughly 1.4 million U.S. subscribers. Amazon Project Kuiper began prototype launches in late 2023 and plans commercial service in 2025 with 3,236 satellites. OneWeb (owned by Eutelsat) operates a business-focused 648-satellite LEO network. Telesat Lightspeed is building a 300-satellite constellation targeting enterprise and government. LEO is the only broadband option for roughly 2% of U.S. addresses with no terrestrial alternative, and it has been a game-changer for mountain, island, and tribal communities. NTIA's BEAD framework prefers fiber but allows LEO satellite as a fallback for extremely high-cost rural locations. In the Broadband Grade, LEO satellite availability counts toward broadband availability and provider competition but does not count as fiber, typically producing C-range grades in otherwise-unserved rural ZIP codes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "LEO Satellite" mean?

Satellite internet delivered from constellations orbiting 300-1,200 miles above Earth, offering low-latency broadband anywhere on the planet without terrestrial infrastructure.

Why does LEO Satellite matter for internet quality?

Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations operate at altitudes of roughly 340 to 1,200 miles, compared to the 22,236-mile altitude of geostationary (GEO) satellites. The short distance cuts round-trip latency from roughly 600 ms (GEO) to 20 to 40 ms (LEO), comparable to cable internet. SpaceX S...

Related Terms

Fiber Optic (FTTH)
Internet delivered via glass or plastic strands that transmit data as pulses of light, offering the fastest and most reliable residential connections available.
Cable Internet (DOCSIS)
Broadband delivered over coaxial cable TV lines using the DOCSIS protocol, typically offering 100-1,200 Mbps download but significantly slower upload speeds.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
Internet service delivered over traditional copper telephone lines, with speeds that degrade significantly over distance from the provider's central office.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
Broadband delivered wirelessly from a cell tower or base station to an antenna at the customer's location, using 4G LTE or 5G signals.

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About This Data

Definitions based on FCC standards, industry specifications, and federal broadband policy. Speed benchmarks reflect 2024 FCC standards. See our methodology.