Next-generation Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services being built by OneWeb, SpaceX, Telesat, and LeoSat say they will deliver services as good or better than existing fiber connections. Such services will hands-down beat offerings from existing Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, but it will be a while before we see a head-to-head comparison between LEO connectivity and terrestrial alternatives.

OneWeb’s founder and chairman Greg Wyler posted data of its initial speed tests on July 11, with the company dropping a formal press release and a fancy video on July 16. Connectivity testing took place in Seoul, South Korea in partnership with mobile satellite communications systems manufacturer Intellian and ground terminal equipment supplier SatixFy using OneWeb’s six in-orbit production satellites.

Initial speeds of over 350 Mbps with ping times between 29 to 32 milliseconds were demonstrated, with some “minimal optimization” resulting in speeds of over 400 Mbps, Wyler said. He believes 1 Gbps speeds are “achievable,” which would blow past the 500 Mbps speed benchmark suggested in initial OneWeb discussions.