Starlink and Satellite Networks Change the Rules of the Internet and Open Horizons for Remote Areas

SpaceX announces that the Starlink network serves over four million subscribers in more than one hundred countries as of mid-2025, utilizing over six thousand low Earth orbit satellites providing speeds ranging between 50 and 300 Mbps with latency under 40 milliseconds, according to company data.

Major competitors are racing in this market; Amazon is accelerating the deployment of its Kuiper orbital constellation after obtaining operating licenses, while Canadian Telesat is developing the Lightspeed network to serve aviation and maritime companies, amid Morgan Stanley expectations that the market size will reach $20 billion by 2030.

These networks raise concerns in astronomy circles; astronomers believe that thousands of bright satellites disrupt ground telescope images, while space agencies point to congestion risks in low Earth orbit and the escalation of the space debris problem threatening existing systems.

Arab countries are handling this file with caution; Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt still require obtaining local licenses before operating the service, while Yemen, Sudan, and Libya have begun benefiting from Starlink in conflict zones. Telecom experts believe that liberalizing these services in Arab markets will revolutionize access to knowledge, but will put severe pressure on local terrestrial internet providers.

What do these terms mean?

Low Earth Orbit (LEO): A space layer extending between 160 and 2,000 kilometers above Earth, used by Starlink because its proximity reduces latency compared to traditional distant satellites.

Latency: The time period it takes for a signal to travel from your device to the server and back, measured in milliseconds — the lower it is, the faster and smoother the connection for gaming and video calls.

Space Debris: The remnants of defunct satellites and spent rockets orbiting Earth at high speeds, posing a growing hazard to modern space systems and launch operations.