| The fast growth of the Internet and data communications has caused a strong demand in bandwidth. While many terrestrial broadband networks, such as cable, DSL and optical fiber systems have launched their services; they cannot expand the services to less-populated or mountainous areas. To fill in such communications big gap, communication satellites seem to provide the solution. Though a proven technology initiated since 1950's, Geostationary (GEO) satellite broadband systems are not feasible for the Internet and other multimedia applications due to their transmission delay between uplink and downlink of information. Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations have been introduced to provide real-time, broadband Internet and other multimedia applications to any user from any location on Earth including the ocean.; The purpose of this study is to examine LEO satellites for a global advancement of the Internet and wireless applications. Qualitative method with case study and triangulation has been used to conduct this study. Beside three selected LEO satellite carriers—Teledesic, Globalstar and Skybridge—for questioning, more than fifty satellite-related documents, articles and a series of satellite communications archived records were reviewed for data gathering. Qualitative and some non-statistical quantitative data along with pattern matching technique, using the two known patterns of GEO satellite systems and the Global Positioning System (GPS), have helped this researcher reach the findings for this study.; The findings of this study convince that LEO satellites will be successful in terms of productivity and market share. Even though we cannot see immediate profitability brought about for LEO systems, they will reap profits in the long run. These findings may contribute some encouragement to LEO satellite carriers in building trusts in their lucrative future. |
