Internet and satellite communications business outlook

• ​In 2026, revenue from the terrestrial internet business is expected to grow by 3.4%, supported by 3.3% growth in the consumer (B2C) segment and 6.8% growth in the enterprise (B2B) segment.
• The B2C market is driven mainly by mobile internet growth of around 3.4%, while fixed internet will expand by only 2.9%.
• As for the satellite communications business, revenue in 2026 is projected to grow by 3.5%, supported by operators being granted rights to use new orbital slots by the NBTC and progress in the USO 3 project auction.

In 2026, revenue from the terrestrial internet business is expected to grow by 3.4%.

Thailand's terrestrial internet business consists of two main markets: the consumer market (B2C), which accounts for over 98% of total market share, and the enterprise market (B2B), which holds the remaining 2%.

In 2026, the consumer internet market is expected to grow by 3.3% (Figure 2).
It is divided as follows: mobile internet accounts for 77% of total revenue, while fixed internet accounts for the remaining 23%.

For mobile internet, growth is expected to reach 3.4% in 2026. In the first quarter of 2025, approximately 90.9% of the population aged six and above used the internet, an increase of 1.6% from the previous year. With the market nearing saturation, operators are focusing on increasing average revenue per user (ARPU) by offering value‑added services such as content streaming and high‑speed gaming packages. In addition, service providers have accelerated their 5G network expansion, achieving over 95% population coverage since 2024. This has contributed to a continued upward trend in mobile internet ARPU (Figure 3).

For fixed internet, growth is expected to reach 2.9% in 2026. In the first quarter of 2025, 92.2% of Thai households had internet access, an increase of 0.9% from the previous year. Although growth has started to slow, service providers can still increase revenue by offering additional packages such as video content services or smart home solutions.

The enterprise internet market is expected to grow by 6.8% in 2026 (Figure 4).

Thailand's enterprise internet market continues to grow steadily, supported by the transition toward the digital era, which has prompted businesses to increase their usage of and investment in technology. This is especially evident in data center investments, where the value of BOI‑approved investment promotions in the first six months of 2025 surged by 647.9%, compared to the previous year (Figure 5). In addition, the growing adoption of AI across various industries has further driven expansion in related sectors, including the enterprise internet market.

In 2026, revenue from the satellite communications business is expected to grow by 3.5% (Figure 6).

Thailand's satellite communications business is expected to experience a slight recovery in 2026, as operators continue expanding their services into more diversified areas, such as satellite image data analytics and carbon credit assessment services in the agricultural and forestry sectors. This expansion is accompanied by ongoing efforts to penetrate international markets, sustaining the momentum from the previous year.

A new supporting factor comes from Thaicom's acquisition of rights to use new orbital slots granted by the NBTC in April 2025, which enables further expansion of commercial satellite communications and broadband services. Additionally, there is potential for the implementation of the NBTC's USO 3 project, with an estimated budget of 5.8 billion baht, aimed at providing basic communications services in remote areas nationwide. If the project proceeds, it would generate stable government-related income for five years and increase the utilization of satellite network capacity.

At present, although the satellite business continues to face challenges in restoring revenue to its previous levels, its long‑term growth prospects appear stronger. This is largely due to the significant decline in satellite launch costs enabled by SpaceX's reusable rocket technology, which has reduced expenses from the billion‑baht range to only a few hundred million baht.

Risks of the internet and satellite communications business

• Relying on value‑added packages to increase ARPU poses a risk for terrestrial internet operators. If they are unable to continuously introduce attractive services, ARPU may stagnate or decline.
• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites could become major competitors to terrestrial internet services, as they offer comparable service quality. If service fees decrease to match or fall below terrestrial internet prices, users may shift to satellite‑based internet.
• Revenue from overseas satellite communications services may face volatility due to exchange rate fluctuations, which can affect the value of revenue once converted into Thai baht.
  
  

Scan QR Code