Internet via satellite has been around for a long time, even before fiber optics and ADSL became widely available in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In recent years, satellite internet has advanced and is now used in areas where traditional broadband or mobile networks are not available. One of the key players in this field in France is Nordnet, a company that has been operating since 1998 as part of the former France Télécom. Since 2020, Nordnet has partnered with Eutelsat, a major French satellite operator, to provide internet through the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite. In 2023, Nordnet began using Eutelsat’s newer KONNECT VHTS satellite. Meanwhile, Orange, a major French telecommunications company, announced its own satellite internet service in November 2023, called "Satellite Orange," aiming to compete with global providers like Starlink and Amazon Kuiper. However, Orange still uses Nordnet to market and distribute the service. The "Satellite Orange" service is offered alongside Orange’s 4G and 5G+ home internet options and comes with similar pricing structures. Customers pay 39.99 euros per month for the subscription. The satellite kit can be rented for 10 euros per month over 12 months or purchased for 299 euros. Installation costs vary depending on the age of the building, ranging from 299 to 326 euros. Additional fees include a 50 euro setup charge and a 99 euro cancellation fee if the kit is rented. Over one year, the total cost can range from 649.88 to 1,155.06 euros, which is significantly more than a standard fiber-optic plan offered by Orange, which would cost just over 400 euros for the same period. The French government previously supported satellite internet through a program called "Digital Cohesion of Territories," which offered up to 600 euros in state aid. However, this program has been paused for new applications since September 2026. Compared to Starlink, which charges 45 euros per month and includes a free satellite kit, "Satellite Orange" is more expensive. Starlink also offers faster download speeds, up to over 400 Mb/s, and lower latency, which is crucial for real-time applications like online gaming or video conferencing. "Satellite Orange" lacks some of the features offered by traditional fiber-optic services. It does not include a standard Livebox device, only a dedicated Nordnet router. It also does not provide a TV bouquet or UHD TV box, only access to 26 free-to-air channels. The service promises download speeds of up to 200 Mb/s and upload speeds of up to 15 Mb/s, but these figures have not been independently verified. In contrast, Starlink has a much lower latency of 40 to 60 milliseconds, while Nordnet/Orange’s service has a latency of over 600 milliseconds, making it unsuitable for real-time applications. Orange has targeted customers in remote areas with limited terrestrial or mobile coverage, but the current satellite service does not match the performance of Starlink or even 4G/5G connections. The "Satellite Orange" service is essentially a rebranded version of an existing Nordnet offering, not a new or adapted product from Orange.