“Rebuilding the Internet in space,” is how SpaceX describes its plan to provide the entire world with Internet service via satellite. In a Federal Communications Commission filing, the company said that it wants to launch 4,000 low-orbit satellites that circle the globe.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk is of course not the first entrepreneur to attempt to offer consumer communication services from space. Dish Network and DirecTV (which AT&T is buying) already have successful satellite TV businesses. LightSquared tried for years to win approval from the FCC to offer mobile data and voice via satellite, but its signals were found to interfere with GPS signals.
Richard Branson also wants to use satellites to bring high-speed Internet and telephony to billions of people who don’t currently have access to either. His Virgin Group has partnered with Qualcomm in a venture called OneWeb, which said it is building the world’s largest-ever satellite network.
Meanwhile Facebook and Google both have plans to use drones to deliver Internet service. Facebook has launched internet.org and Google has launched Project Loon, which also uses balloons and has reportedly started testing within LTE spectrum bands.
The SpaceX filing said the company wants to start testing next year and have the service up and running within five years.
