Orbiting satellites might start beaming down our high speed Internet.

Two projects are already in the works to develop, build and launch hundreds of satellites to bring high speed internet connections to the entire world. The OneWeb project just received $500 million investment from Softbank (the company that brought us Pepper the Advanced AI robot.) The other project is a brain child of Elon Musk and his Space X company.

Both groups face the same problems to overcome beyond the technology including approval from regulators (like the FCC or UN agencies) as well as dealing with concerns over space debris. A day after the end of Net Neutrality, one might hope that this would be a way to get around the likely price gouging we'll see from internet providers. Unfortunately, these services would be sold to customer, just like their terrestial equivalents. So there's nothing preventing them from charging through the roof, however it's yet to be seen how each internet provider company will actually approach their pricing structures moving forward.

OneWeb's goal seems to be around providing internet access to the 31% of the world’s population who don’t have access to 3G connectivity. With Musk's Space X having gotten some push back on getting federal approval, it was stated that selling this satellite broadband service was a key part of their business planning.

Selling broadband from orbit is a key part of how SpaceX plans to make money beyond its original rocket-launching service.
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It will be interesting to follow both of these projects to being high speed internet to the world! Knowing what changes it could make to peoples lives, what this service might cost us, or even what issues may arise like satellites falling out of orbit is hard to nail down at this stage. But the drive definitely seems to be there for both companies and their investors.

Additional Reading:
Broadband to be beamed to every corner of the earth from space
Softbank Invests around $500 Million in OneWeb
Elon Musk’s Plan to Girdle Earth With Satellites Hits Turbulence
SpaceX and OneWeb broadband satellites raise fears about space debris