In case you missed it, Tom Ferree, chairman and CEO of Connected Nation, authored a piece in the Louisville Business First discussing the opportunities of connectivity through low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for Kentucky.

In the piece, Ferree explains that LEO satellites orbit in large constellations in the closest orbital range to Earth. Because of this, they are able to offer low-latency WiFi that is less vulnerable to disruption and can reach even the most rural and remote areas easily, making this technology a valuable resource for telehealth, education and disaster relief efforts throughout Kentucky.

Read the full op-ed below and learn more about the Connect Everyone Coalition HERE.

OPINION: Low Earth Orbit Satellites Emerge As Key Facet In Kentucky’s Battle Against Digital Divide

Louisville Business First

Tom Ferree

June 3, 2025

In today’s digital world, connectivity is everything. Reliable high-speed internet access (broadband) is like a skeleton key that unlocks countless opportunities to improve daily life, keep our families healthy and connected and lift entire communities to new opportunities.

Our organization, Connected Nation, has spent more than 24 years working to expand broadband access to all people — no matter who they are or where they live.

While this work takes us across the nation, Kentucky is home — and our mission to bridge the Digital Divide is particularly urgent here in the commonwealth. Research shows that as many as 10.8% of Kentucky residents still lack reliable broadband access.

Significant efforts and investments have aimed to expand connectivity over the years, but infrastructure and cost remain major barriers to home internet adoption in Kentucky.

It isn’t our job to pick one internet service provider or technology over another — bridging this digital divide will require an all-of-the-above effort involving all kinds of technologies and providers. But we are especially excited about one promising new technology that is emerging as a crucial partner in this mission: low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.

Constellations of LEO satellites are being developed and launched by companies globally, including many in the United States. These satellites are smaller, faster and cheaper to launch than older, larger satellites.

And because they orbit in closer proximity to Earth they can provide lower latency connectivity than what was previously known as “satellite internet” — meaning significantly less lag time for users.

By providing a higher speed and a more resilient form of satellite broadband, these constellations offer a new, quick and easy connectivity option for Kentuckians.

The benefits of this technology will be transformative for under-connected communities across the commonwealth. For example, experts believe that increased broadband access will directly reduce unemployment rates and improve outcomes for K-12 students.

And in health care, LEO technology was used by the Kentucky Department for Public Health to launch a pilot project in 2022 that provided connectivity to users in Eastern Kentucky. They found LEO broadband to be a proven solution to connect residents to critical education and health services, with 54% of users saying their primary use case is telemedicine.

Making this technology available across Kentucky will help connect the 1.1 million Kentucky residents (nearly 24% of our population) who have been left underserved by mental health care services due to geographic mental health shortage areas.

This isn’t the first time LEO broadband has helped Kentucky. In 2021, LEO satellite terminals were deployed to areas in Western Kentucky ravaged by historic tornadoes. This enabled vital communications to get back up and running almost instantly and restored communication for first responders and emergency management officials.

As these benefits keep scaling up beyond pilot projects and crisis situations, and more providers enter the industry, the impact on our communities and the state economy will be tremendous.

Paul Griffith, executive director of Michigan Works, an association aimed at supporting workforce development, summed it up well: “Companies are going to go where they know people have access to the internet and understand how to use it. It’s good for our schools, it attracts business and it means our residents can stay here.”

Bridging the digital divide is no easy task, and with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and ultra-low-latency requirements for some AI-driven applications, the divide is evolving.

But by working together and embracing new technologies that represent significant leaps forward in our ability to connect more people in more places, we can make progress toward a truly connected nation.

— Tom Ferree is the chairman and CEO of Connected Nation, a national nonprofit based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with a mission centered on connecting and empowering people through technology.