Connecting the other half: Exploring options for the 50% of the population unconnected to the internet

As of the end of 2019, 46.4% of the world's population does not have regular access to the Internet. Bringing the more than 3.5 billion individuals still unconnected online is the primary goal for multiple international organizations, including the ITU and the UN Broadband Commission. Two important barriers that restrict connectivity are the lack of infrastructure and affordability. To address these barriers, several novel concepts that involve spaceborne and airborne platforms have been proposed to provide connectivity at a lower cost (improve affordability) to a wider reach of people (extend infrastructure). We develop a techno-economic methodology to assess the potential impact of space and aerial concepts in expanding connectivity to uncovered and under-served regions. In particular, constellations of geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites, large constellations of medium Earth orbit (MEO) and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and high- and low-altitude aerial platforms are studied. Results show that under the current scenario, the impact of space and aerial systems in terms of expanding connectivity would be rather modest; the current cost of satellite technology (~$200 per Mbps/month) are affordable for less than 1% of the uncovered and under-served population in the countries of interest. In a future scenario in 8–10 years, space systems have the highest potential to bring uncovered and under-served populations online, being a viable technology for 24% of the population in these countries.