We are already at two providers (SpaceX and OneWeb), soon three (Amazon's Kuiper). But I guess that's your point
> Maybe we can shut up all the "LEO satellites are the best way to build a communications network" people by building out a reasonable and fair network on the surface of the earth first.
Didn't we already try that for the last ~200 years? With intensified focus towards internet specifically since the dotcom bubble. All evidence points to this being really hard for a mix of economic and political factors that are unlikely to be swayed by astronomers
A significant portion of this time was spent with humans using horses to travel.
> All evidence points to this being really hard for a mix of economic and political factors
What evidence is that? This is purely anecdotal. Here's a better question, why are there so few cellular providers in the USA? Does 4 seem correct to you? Does it really seem like we've exhausted all our terrestrial options?
These complaints make a lot more sense when you project forward by just a few decades. We're talking about _one_ provider already causing minor hassles. What do you think an entire commercialized segment is going to do?
Maybe we can shut up all the "LEO satellites are the best way to build a communications network" people by building out a reasonable and fair network on the surface of the earth first.