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Food, clothing, shelter — and now, internet access. The necessities of life have expanded to include this essential service, yet many still lack access. While social media might give the impression that everyone enjoys high-speed internet, the truth is quite different. An alarming 2.6 billion individuals are offline, representing about a third of the global population. There is an urgent need for alternatives to redefine who gets connected and how.
Summary
- Major telecom companies leave billions without internet, particularly in rural and low-income areas.
- Low Earth Orbit satellites significantly reduce launch costs by 95% and provide fast, low-latency internet where traditional cables cannot reach.
- Satellite broadband adoption is surging — growing 52.5% annually compared to just 7.4% for fibre.
- Nevertheless, high costs and centralized corporate control still hinder true digital inclusivity.
- DePIN could transform the model, giving communities ownership, autonomy, and income from their own networks.
Even though telecommunications companies promote seemingly affordable packages with unlimited calls and data, the real costs remain unaffordable for many in low-income regions. Rural communities face particular challenges due to limited infrastructure, with many telcos choosing to avoid these locations due to high costs, geographic obstacles, and low return on investment.
A new orbit for connectivity
With billions offline, the world urgently requires solutions to realize the UN’s vision of universal internet access. Deploying a constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites has emerged as a potential solution. These LEO satellites orbit at altitudes lower than geosynchronous satellites, between 160 km and 2,000 km, minimizing latency and enhancing coverage in areas lacking traditional infrastructure.
Launching a satellite once seemed reserved for governments or large corporations. Today, that has changed significantly. Reports indicate that nearly 7500 active satellites currently orbit the Earth, with an average of 50 new launches each week.
Thanks to reduced launch costs and more accessible technologies, satellites are now common. The expense of sending payloads into LEO has plummeted from around $65,000 per kilogram to just $1,500, a 95% reduction in recent decades. Moreover, reusable rockets could further lower these costs.
As of 2024, an estimated 4 to 5 million people globally had subscribed to satellite internet services. Satellite broadband connections increased by 52.5% annually, in contrast to a mere 7.4% rise for fibre. This growing demand is primarily driven by speed and accessibility. Typical download speeds for satellite internet range from 50 to 150 Mbps, peaking above 200 Mbps. Latency averages around 25 milliseconds for round-trip time, which translates to less lag and a smoother user experience.
When you combine fast download speeds with the capability to reach areas neglected by traditional networks, it’s clear why LEO broadband is regarded as a viable solution to the digital divide.
Solving for mass adoption
Though promising on paper, two major hurdles impede LEO satellites from bridging the digital divide. First is cost: these services are frequently priced beyond the reach of low-income or rural communities, restricting access to wealthier users. In the U.S., 56% of low-income households report that the monthly broadband cost of $75, the national average for basic service, is too high. This makes choosing LEO broadband over traditional options difficult for these users, a gap that is even more pronounced in the developing world.
The second major issue is control. Most LEO networks are controlled by private companies or individuals, which means that a single entity can decide to disable service. If that authority opts to cut off access in a given area, users find themselves with no options. Communities are not just seeking access — they desire ownership and autonomy.
This is where decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN) could provide substantial benefits. DePIN is a model in which communities collaboratively build and own the infrastructure utilizing blockchain technology for coordination. Instead of a single corporation owning numerous satellites, individual participants contribute resources — funding, equipment, or labor — while blockchain automatically verifies contributions and distributes ownership tokens.
By empowering communities to construct, own, and manage vital infrastructure, from wireless systems to satellite networks, DePIN introduces more than just an alternative to conventional telecoms. It outlines a method to address the digital divide in ways centralized systems have chronically failed to achieve.
Building communities, not monopolies
Consider a rural community located in a mountainous region without traditional telecom infrastructure. Installing fibre-optic cables would be prohibitively expensive and logistically daunting. However, with a decentralized satellite network, local cooperatives could set up small ground stations connected to open-source, Low Earth Orbit satellites. These would be owned and operated by the local community, tailoring the service to meet specific needs.
By transferring control from a single corporation to a wider ecosystem of builders, users, and local operators, DePIN paves the way for affordable internet access for the billions who still lack it. Importantly, this decentralized model offers users something that traditional systems cannot: ownership and economic involvement. Instead of remaining passive consumers, community members can reap returns from their connectivity investments, akin to how solar grid-tie projects and wind farms generate passive income by sharing their energy output with the broader grid.
The technology needed for this transformation already exists, and the time for action is pressing. Internet access has become a fundamental necessity for education, healthcare, commerce, and social connections. While the existing competition to control the skies risks creating new digital monopolies that alienate the communities that most require service, decentralized satellite networks propose a different route. By merging the vast reach of LEO satellites with the community ownership principles of DePIN, we can not just bridge the digital divide, but potentially eliminate it.
