In America’s vast countryside, many individuals struggle with limited internet access.
While there’s some debate on the precise figures, more and more users realize that the US needs to step up its game and boost its internet infrastructure.
Don’t worry; there’s a bright side!
The White House plans to make the whole internet connection cheaper by joining hands with various internet service providers (ISPs) through the “Affordable Connectivity Program.”
Meanwhile, satellite internet is the go-to broadband option in all 50 states of America.
It might be slower than fiber or cable connections, but satellite broadband steals the show regarding critical internet access.
It’s like a lifeline, keeping residents connected and plugged into the digital world when they need it most.
Now, you might want to learn more about the satellite internet.
And that’s where we came in; in this article, we will take you on a ride to it by discussing various satellite internet statistics.
Key Statistics
- The global satellite internet market is expected to reach $5.61 billion in 2023.
- North America accounts for 32% of the global market share in 2023.
- There are around 2.7 million subscribers of satellite internet in the world.
- The K-band dominated the satellite internet market in 2022, gaining a share of more than 41%.
- The average monthly cost for satellite internet is $100 to $150.
- On average, the upload speed for satellite internet is 5 to 50 Mbps.
- Currently, over 4,000 satellites in orbit are used for internet connectivity.
- 95% of the global population is within the reach of a satellite internet signal.
Satellite Internet Statistics: Market Size And Growth
1. The Global Satellite Internet Market Size Is Expected to Reach $5.61 Billion in 2023.
The worldwide satellite internet market grew from $4.85 billion in value to $5.61 billion in 2023. In fact, there was a CAGR of 15.6% in the growth.
However, the Russia-Ukraine war has troubled the whole short-term prediction for global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a bad sign for the economy as a whole.
Several countries had economic sanctions imposed on them because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which pushed up the prices of commodities and created havoc on global supply lines.
The inflationary forces on goods and services that resulted from these factors have impacted many sectors worldwide, and the satellite internet market isn’t an exception.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
2. In 2027, The Satellite Internet Market Is Expected to Reach $9.39 Billion at A CAGR of 13.7%.
Grand View Research, Inc. recently released a report that says the world satellite internet market will be worth $9.39 billion in 2027 and $19.71 billion in 2030.
From 2022 to 2030, this market is projected to grow at an average rate of 11.6% per year.
The satellite internet is a mobile network that lets you connect to the Internet using satellite dishes on Earth and in space.
Its main goal is to connect people in rural parts of the world to each other and give them access to a broader information network.
(Source: Grand View Research)
North America took over 32% of the world’s satellite internet market in 2023, making it the market leader.
The region is forecasted to grow at the same rate over a couple of years, with a CAGR of as high as 13.1%.
The business in this area is very diverse, and competition is likely to get more challenging since there are many players.
In North America, the market is growing because more and more people are using advanced technologies such as cloud-based solutions, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
At the same time, the Government is working to boost satellite technology.
Developed countries such as the US and Canada, where people are tech-savvy and highly reliant on digital platforms, drive the demand for high-speed Internet and help the regional market grow.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
4. There Are Around 2.7 Million Subscribers of Satellite Internet in The World.
Even though it’s a new technology, satellite internet is becoming more and more common quickly.
At the moment, there are 2.7 million people around the world who use satellite internet, but that number is expected to grow to 100 million by 2029.
That’s because people in rural areas and developing countries, where other choices are limited or not reliable, want to use the Internet more and more.
People who need it can also use satellite internet as a reliable backup link.
It’s a great option when other ways to connect to the Internet aren’t available, and it’s often more reliable than cell phone data alone.
(Source: Intersputnik)
5. Asia-Pacific Is Currently the Fastest-Growing Market for Satellite Internet.
In 2023, the Asia-Pacific area is expected to have grown the most, with a CAGR of around 14.9%, which is quite high.
The satellite internet market in this area is growing quickly.
That’s because it is being used more and more in fields such as healthcare, media, Government, and the military.
China, India, Japan, and South Korea are the countries in the Asia-Pacific area that use satellite internet services the most.
These countries actively use satellite technology to meet the growing connectivity needs of their residents and help a wide range of enterprises.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
Satellite Internet Stats: Brand Insights
The K-band section took over 41% of the target market in 2022, making it the most essential market part.
It is expected to keep doing well, with a CAGR of around 16% over the time of the forecast.
Defense, security radar systems, and transmission use the K-band frequency more and more.
These data about satellite internet show how K-band MMIC technology is being used.
It makes it possible to make K-band power and low-noise amplifiers at a low cost, which makes it easier to make a lot of them and makes sure they last a long time.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
7. The X-Band Segment Is Predicted to Witness a CAGR of 10.8% in 2023.
In 2023, the X-band segment is projected to have a CAGR of 10.8%.
In fact, the Government, the military, and the Marines are the only ones who are allowed to use this frequency band.
X-band is becoming more popular because it is being used more and more in sea rescue operations. That’s because it lets specific targets be explored and tracked.
Also, the X-brand offers transmission antenna systems that help rescue measures by delivering internet service and email access to make operational, and personnel uses more accessible, which is driving growth in this market area.
More and more governments want to use X-band SATCOM for their martial functions, especially during wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
As a result, it made X-band more common.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
Satellite Internet Stats: Industry Insights
8. The Public and Government Sectors Will Dominate the Satellite Internet Market in 2022.
In 2022, more than 19% of the market was controlled by the Government and the public sector.
In fact, governments all over the world are spending more and more on satellite broadband technology so that they can offer broadband services in different areas and use advanced technology to connect rural regions of their country to the network.
In September 2022, for instance, Hughes Communications India launched the HTS internet service.
It uses the Hughes Jupiter Platform technology and the K-band satellite frequency on GSAT-11 and GSAT-29, which the ISRO runs, to give people all over the country access to high-speed Internet.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
9. The Broadcasting and Media Segment Is Predicted to See the Fastest Growth of 16.4% in 2023.
According to the latest satellite internet statistics, the broadcasting and media industry is expected to grow at the fastest rate, 16.4%.
The rising demand for TV and radio apps drives the growth rate.
OTT services are also becoming more and more famous, which helps the market grow.
With the growth of Internet services and changes in people’s lives, there has been a rise in the demand for broadcasting service providers to distribute material over the Internet.
It has led to the growth of the broadcasting and media segment.
(Source: The Business Research Company)
Satellite Internet Stats: Cost and Performance
10. The Average Monthly Cost for Satellite Internet Is $100 to $150.
Due to the limits of satellite technology, satellite internet plans tend to cost more than other options on land.
These include data limits, speed, and the need for specialized tools like home satellite dishes and infrastructure in geostationary or low-earth orbit satellites.
In the United States, satellite internet costs about $110 per month on average, while cable or fiber plans cost about $50 per month on average.
That’s more than twice as much! On the other hand, satellite internet is available all over the country and costs the same everywhere, unlike cable and fiber plans, which can change from town to town.
(Source: Satellite Internet)
11. On Average, the Latency for Satellite Internet Is About 594 to 624 Milliseconds.
The average delay of satellite Internet is between 594 and 624 milliseconds, which is longer than other types of Internet.
But a good delay is between 50 and 100 milliseconds.
It makes sure that online games load quickly and video chats go smoothly.
In fact, players may notice pauses in online games when the latency is more than 100 milliseconds.
Also, if latency goes over 150 milliseconds, lag can become very bad, causing games to stop working and live video chats to have obvious glitches.
Fast-paced games like Fortnite may not work well with high-latency connections, but slower-paced games can still be played without too many problems.
(Source: Satellite Internet)
12. The Average Download Speed for Satellite Internet Is 25 to 150 Mbps.
In case you don’t know, download speed measures how data is retrieved, like when you stream a movie on Netflix or download an email attachment.
And since most online activities involve downloading, internet providers focus on advertising download speeds as the primary measure.
Satellite internet, however, is the slowest high-speed option available.
While it can achieve speeds classified as fixed broadband (25 Mbps or higher by the FCC), it needs to catch up to cable and fiber optic speeds.
In fact, satellite providers generally offer speeds ranging from 25 to 150 Mbps, whereas cable and fiber can reach more than 1,000 Mbps.
(Source: US News)
13. On Average, the Upload Speed for Satellite Internet Is 5 to 50 Mbps.
Upload speed refers to how quickly you can send your information from your computer to the Internet, such as posting on social media, uploading a YouTube video, or saving files to the cloud.
It’s the opposite of download speed. Most online tasks utilize minimal upload speed, like clicking links or selecting videos to watch.
For activities like web browsing, online shopping, email checking, or watching YouTube, a 5 Mbps upload speed is sufficient.
However, activities like live-streaming on Facebook or Twitch demand higher upload speeds for smooth operation.
On average, satellite internet offers upload speeds ranging from 5 to 50 Mbps, which is quite decent, if you ask.
(Source: Forbes)
Other Important Satellite Internet Stats
14. The Data Caps for Satellite Internet Range from 15 to 75 Gb per Month.
A satellite data cap is the amount of data your satellite internet plan lets you use each month.
It lets internet service providers (ISPs) keep an eye on network data and control it, especially during busy times.
How much data you can use relies on how fast your Internet is and how much bandwidth you can use.
You can find this information in the residential service agreement for your ISP.
Most satellite providers around the world are going toward plans with unlimited data.
However, HughesNet, one of the largest satellite internet providers in the US, still has data caps that range from 15 GB to 75 GB per month.
(Source: Broadband Now)
15. Over 4,000 Satellites in Orbit Are Currently Used for Internet Connectivity.
Starlink is a satellite internet network that is run by SpaceX and is available in more than 56 countries.
It started sending satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) in 2019, and as of May 2023, there were more than 4,000 of them there.
These satellites talk to transceivers on the ground to give people access to the Internet.
SpaceX also hopes to launch about 12,000 satellites, which could grow to 42,000.
In fact, Starlink wants to make it easier for people worldwide to connect to the Internet by using a large group of satellites in space.
(Source: Wikipedia)
16. Forty-Three Million People Were Connected to Broadband via Satellite in 2020.
According to a study by Euroconsult, about 43 million people were using satellite broadband in 2020.
That was about 1% of the connected population around the world.
Also, it is thought that by 2029, there will be 110 million satellite internet users.
Latin America, which is expected to add about 20 million users, and Sub-Saharan Africa, which is expected to add about 16 million users, will drive the growth.
Satellite internet is being used more and more in these areas, which is helping to connect more people all over the world.
(Source: Euro Consult)
17. Most Satellite Internet Users Use It for Streaming Video.
About 80 to 90% of the people who use satellite internet do so to watch videos.
That’s because satellite internet makes it easy and cheap to watch high-quality videos, which is why it is so popular.
Unlike other types of Internet, it doesn’t change when the weather changes.
As a result, it is a good choice even in places where Internet connections are only sometimes stable.
Also, satellite internet is often the best choice for people in rural places where there are few other ways to get online.
More and more people want to stream movies, and TV shows online because it’s easy and handy.
It is driving the growth of the satellite internet market.
(Source: Euro Consult)
18. 95% of The Global Population Is Within the Reach of A Satellite Internet Signal.
Satellite internet is a growing and popular technology that provides reliable and cheap internet access, especially in rural and remote areas where other options are limited or not reliable.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) says that 95% of the world’s population is within reach of a satellite internet signal.
It means that billions of people could gain from it.
But there are still problems that need to be fixed before satellite internet can be used by more people.
(Source: ITU)
FAQs
What Percentage of The Internet Is the Satellite?
In 2020, around 43 million people had satellite internet, which accounted for roughly 1% of the connected population.
By 2029, this number was projected to reach 110 million, with Latin America contributing around 20 million new users and Sub-Saharan Africa adding 16 million.
Is Satellite Internet Faster than 5G?
No, 5G is super-fast speed, reaching a blazing 1Gbps.
On the other hand, satellite service tops out at around 500Mbps.
So, while 5G zooms ahead in speed, the satellite still offers a respectable dose of internet velocity.
Is Satellite Internet Safer?
Satellite connections are just as secure as any other IP connection.
But if you need extra security for highly secure situations, you should think about extra security steps and encryption apps to make sure your network is as safe as possible.
Can You Use A VPN With Satellite Internet?
Yes, you can use a VPN for satellite internet which will increase your privacy and security.
Conclusion
In today’s world, satellite internet has emerged as a shining star in the digital sky.
Its growing popularity and adoption, particularly in rural and underserved areas, paint a picture of empowerment and access for millions.
In this article, we’ve discussed some of the latest satellite internet statistics that will help you understand better.