SatNet

Originally designed in the early twenty first century as an easy way to make the Internet available in remote locations, SatNet grew into an enormous array of very low orbit communications satellites eventually replacing most ground based Internet connections.

As SatNet was built up, ground based astronomers were extremely angry with the damage it was doing to their observation abilities. It had become almost impossible to take pictures of anything in space without one of the satellites in the shot. Five universities eventually launched a lawsuit against the companies building SatNet in an attempt to stop any further development as well as have SatNet dismantled. The lawsuit never went to court, instead the companies made an agreement with the universities to not deploy satellites near remote observatories, while providing them with funding for new space based telescopes.

Universities were not the only problem in the early years. Governments of the world did not want satellites blocking their ability to launch into space, or be potentially used to spy. The companies were completely open about the design of everything on the satellites, allowing anyone into their facilities to examine them. When all was done, they only needed to the keep areas over restricted government land kept clear of SatNet satellites.

The Areas not covered by SatNet were linked into the system with a series of SatNet communications systems mounted on buildings, power lines, or anything else that was fairly high in the air.