Eli5: Why are fiber optic cables still used if we can use satellites for communication?

Question

Pardon my lack of knowledge about this.

In: 11

Answer 1

Distance

Linearly, the distance from Chicago to LA is about 2,800 KM. That takes light 0.00000934 seconds.

Geostationary orbit is about 36,000 km up. So the same message travels 36,000 km to satellite 1, then 16,000km to satellite 2, and another 36,000 km back down. That’s a total linear distance of 88,000km. That takes 0.000294 seconds… PLUS the processing lag at every step as each signal is received, amplified, noise processed out, then rebroadcast to the next stage along the chain.

And that assumes the geostationary satellites are directly above both ends of the journey..