Satellite internet delivers broadband from space rather than through cables or mobile towers. Traditional GEO satellites sit far away in a fixed position, giving wide coverage but high latency. Newer LEO constellations use hundreds or thousands of satellites orbiting much closer to Earth, so latency drops to roughly 20–50 ms — comparable to home broadband — with usable speeds. LEO is what makes satellite practical for everyday business use today.

Where it's available, fibre is usually the best primary connection — fast, stable and best value — with 5G fixed-wireless a quick, flexible alternative. Satellite's strengths are reach (anywhere, including remote and mobile sites), speed of deployment, and independent resilience as a backup. Many businesses combine them: fibre or 5G as primary, satellite as the everywhere failover. The comparison table above breaks down each dimension.

It's rolling out. Several operators — including Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb (with Tata's Nelco) and the Jio-SES venture — hold licences to operate in India, and traditional VSAT services already serve enterprise and remote users. Full consumer and enterprise LEO launches remain subject to final DoT and IN-SPACe security and spectrum clearances, so availability varies by provider and timeline. We'll match you with licensed providers and tell you what's genuinely available for your location.

Satellite needs a clear line of sight to the sky, and very heavy rain or storms can briefly reduce performance — this is called rain fade. Modern LEO systems handle it far better than older satellite, and for critical sites the usual approach is to pair satellite with another link so there's always a path. We factor your location's conditions into the recommendation.

There are two parts: a one-time terminal (dish and router) and a monthly plan. LEO business plans and hardware sit at a premium versus fibre because of the technology and reach, while enterprise VSAT is quoted per site and SLA. The comparison shows hardware and monthly costs together so you can weigh satellite against the alternatives. Figures shown here are indicative — final pricing and availability follow a location check. This is general guidance, not regulatory advice.