Verizon CEO says satellite internet from Starlink and Amazon Leo will stay niche in the US and won’t compete with terrestrial networks in urban and suburban areas.

Schulman argues low-Earth orbit broadband poses no serious threat to Verizon’s core land-based wireless business.

Starlink is moving toward gigabit speeds with next-generation satellites, and the FCC has approved rules to expand Starlink capacity up to sevenfold.

Broadband Breakfast coverage places this discussion in a wider industry context, noting policy and market discussions beyond the paywall.

Ookla data show Starlink expanding beyond rural areas, with a Roam plan enabling use in multiple locations, including on the road and in RVs.

SpaceX vice president Michael Nicolls publicly rebutted Schulman, signaling SpaceX’s belief it can surpass the 5 million household target.

Starlink reportedly serves over 2 million active US customers (global >10 million), while Verizon serves about 16.8 million US customers with gigabit fiber and fixed wireless.

Terrestrial networks are described as 100 to 1,000 times more efficient than LEO in urban/suburban areas, limiting satellite market potential.

Starlink has faced congestion in dense areas, prompting a one-time demand surcharge for new customers in some regions and discount strategies elsewhere.

Schulman notes LEO broadband is a useful complement but cannot compete with terrestrial networks in areas that generate roughly 95% of wireless revenue.

He estimates a potential market of about 5 million satellite Internet households over seven to ten years, mainly in non-urban regions, stressing it isn’t Verizon’s focus.

New Street Research notes Starlink’s 2025 growth to about 2.7 million U.S. customers, ranking among the top 10 ISPs and signaling rapid LEO space expansion.