AMMAN - The number of satellite internet subscribers in Jordan has reached 572 as of the end of January, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC).

The commission stated that four companies are currently licensed to provide internet services via satellite in the Kingdom.

The TRC clarified that it is not currently reviewing any new applications for licenses to provide internet via satellite services in Jordan.

Subscribers to satellite internet can access the internet through a dedicated and fixed communications system provided by the operating company, typically consisting of an outdoor receiving antenna and an indoor modem.

Satellite internet offers wireless internet broadcast from satellites orbiting the Earth, providing global coverage. It enables internet access in remote locations where terrestrial internet access is unavailable or unreliable, without the need for complex ground equipment.

Internet via satellite serves as a vital complement to existing mobile phone and fixed-line networks, according to a previous statement by Jawad Abbassi, head of the Middle East and North Africa region at the International Association of Mobile Phone Operators.

VSATs (Very Small Aperture Terminals) are small devices and stations used to provide internet service through direct connection to satellites, without the need for terrestrial networks such as fiber optics or telephone lines.