Can satellites unblock the Internet?

Anyone who has surfed the Internet knows how slow it can be. Some have even suggested that it could become entirely gridlocked early in the next millennium. The author explains how satellites could help avert such a catastrophe. The primary advantage of a satellite system for Internet delivery is the same as it is for other types of communication: coverage area. A single satellite in geostationary orbit can serve approximately one third of the planet's surface, so three can cover most of the world's population. For regions where terrestrial infrastructure is limited or nonexistent, satellite coverage may be the only option. The author discusses the proposed Teledesic broadband low Earth satellite system operating in the Ku band, which is backed by Microsoft, and its only direct competitor SkyBridge which is backed by Alcatel and Loral. The author also discusses the geosynchronous Earth orbit broadband satellite systems. The commercial viability of these systems is discussed.