In recent years, Brazil has witnessed significant advances in new forms of wireless connectivity, especially in low orbit satellite internet and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). With the rapid expansion of 5G networks and the increased coverage provided by satellite constellations, the Brazilian market now faces a scenario where these technologies can either compete or complement each other, depending on local conditions and specific user needs.
FWA 5G has been considered an alternative to bring fixed broadband to areas without fiber optic or cable infrastructure. Since December 2, 2024, all 5,570 Brazilian municipalities are able to receive standalone 5G technology, thanks to the release of the 3.5 GHz band by Anatel, 14 months ahead of schedule. By March 2025, 5G was already present in over 895 municipalities, notably in the states of São Paulo (166), Paraná (122), Minas Gerais (111), Santa Catarina (78), and Rio Grande do Sul (63).
In addition to national telecom companies, which heavily invested in expansion, new regional players that acquired 5G licenses in the spectrum auction also focus on FWA. However, despite the growing interest, the current reach is still modest compared to traditional broadband. Studies indicate that about 40% of global 5G operators already offer FWA – challenges such as equipment costs and data caps limit mass adoption of FWA. Consequently, current FWA offerings come with relatively restricted data caps and require manufacturers to lower the cost of CPEs to enable further expansion.
In terms of coverage, FWA depends directly on the availability of the cellular network. In large cities and metropolitan areas where 5G is already present, FWA can be offered quickly – some operators even announce the service in cities like São Paulo and Campinas. On the other hand, in rural or remote areas, the absence of 5G towers is a limiting factor. Overall, FWA will be more used where there is already well-established cellular coverage, capitalizing on existing 5G infrastructure to deliver fixed wireless broadband.
Low Earth Orbit Satellites: Advancing Quickly
Parallel to FWA, Brazil is witnessing a true revolution in satellite internet, driven by low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Unlike traditional geostationary satellites (which orbit at ~36,000 km from Earth), LEO satellites orbit at a few hundred km, enabling much lower latencies and services more comparable to terrestrial broadband.
Since 2022, a large LEO constellation has been serving the country and has been growing exponentially in users and capacity. Currently, satellite coverage already reaches practically 100% of the Brazilian territory – as long as the user has an unobstructed view of the sky to connect. This includes everything from farms in remote areas in the interior of Brazil to riverside communities in the Amazon.
Recent data confirms the rapid growth of LEO satellite users in Brazil. An April 2025 report highlighted that the main low Earth orbit satellite internet service – Starlink – already had 345,000 active subscribers in Brazil, representing a 2.3-fold increase in just one year – making the country the 4th largest market in the world.
This impressive number – achieved in about two years of commercial operation – positions satellite connectivity as a significant solution, especially in locations where terrestrial networks do not reach. For comparison, in September 2023, it was estimated that 0.8% of all broadband accesses in the country were already via satellite, a proportion that jumps to 2.8% in the Northern Region, with the LEO constellation accounting for 44% of these satellite accesses (around 37 thousand connections). In some states in the North, Starlink already holds more than half of all satellite accesses, reflecting its leadership in this niche.
The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) approved in April 2025 the expansion of the LEO satellite license, allowing the operation of an additional 7,500 satellites beyond the approximately 4,400 already authorized. With this, the constellation could reach almost 12,000 satellites in orbit serving Brazil in the coming years, reinforcing its capacity and coverage.
Performance and latency
Both systems can deliver broadband speeds, but the numbers depend on the available infrastructure. In measurements in Brazil, the Starlink LEO connection delivered 113 Mbps download and 22 Mbps upload, outperforming other satellites. As for FWA 5G, when using mid-range frequencies (3.5 GHz), it can achieve similar or higher speeds depending on the proximity of the antenna and spectrum availability.
Regarding latency, a fixed 5G connection typically has latency in the range of 20 to 40 milliseconds, similar to that of a conventional mobile network – suitable for real-time applications, video conferencing, etc. In tests in Brazil, the low Earth orbit satellite constellation recorded latencies around 50 ms, an incredibly low level compared to the 600-800 ms of geostationary satellites.
In practice, 50 ms is close enough to the fiber experience (which runs in 5-20 ms) to support almost all applications without significant drawbacks. The 30 ms difference between FWA and LEO is not noticeable for most common applications, although stand-alone 5G could theoretically lower latency even further as core infrastructure evolves.
Despite similarities, in remote rural areas, or with precarious infrastructure, satellite internet emerges as the last-mile savior. Where there are no nearby cell towers or fiber backhaul, implementing 5G may not be feasible in the short term – installing a satellite dish becomes the quickest and best-performing solution.
In Brazilian agribusiness, for example, the adoption of LEO internet has been celebrated as a productivity factor, connecting farms that were previously offline. Even public entities have resorted to the space solution to connect schools, health posts, and bases in the forest. Therefore, in areas with operator shadows, satellite has no competition – it fills a niche of basic and advanced connectivity at the same time, providing everything from basic internet access to the possibilities of implementing IoT solutions in the field.
Conversely, in urban areas and regions with well-structured mobile networks, FWA 5G is expected to prevail as the preferred option for fixed wireless access. This is because cities have a high density of antennas, spare capacity, and competition between operators – factors that keep prices affordable and allow for generous data packages. FWA can directly compete with traditional broadband in non-cable neighborhoods, offering similar performance to fiber in many cases.
In conclusion, the new connectivity scenario in Brazil points to the complementary coexistence of FWA and satellite internet. It is not about a frontal competition for the same market share, but about optimally addressing different geographical and usage needs. Executives and decision-makers should see these technologies as allies in expanding connectivity: FWA leveraging 5G infrastructure to deliver fast wireless broadband where economically viable, and satellite covering gaps and providing mobility and redundancy. This mosaic, if well coordinated, will ensure that digital transformation knows no physical boundaries, bringing quality internet from the center of metropolises to the farthest corners of the country, in a sustainable and efficient way.
