Elon Musk has described internet access as the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty. The SpaceX CEO added that low-cost, high-bandwidth connectivity can provide economic opportunities and education to underserved communities.
Elon Musk Calls Internet Connectivity Key to Economic Mobility
Speaking about the transformative potential of global connectivity, Musk shared how internet access makes room for both learning and commerce. He linked this argument to the expansion of SpaceX’s satellite internet network.
Elon Musk shared the remarks in a video reposted on X from an account known as XFreeze. In the video, Musk said providing internet access allows people in underserved regions to learn skills and reach global markets.
With an Internet connection, you can learn anything for free and sell your goods to the customers worldwide https://t.co/OkwlyHGMVQ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 24, 2026
The tech billionaire explained that low-cost, high-bandwidth internet can access areas where connectivity remains unavailable or expensive. He said the internet gives individuals access to free education resources and global commerce platforms.
“I think the single biggest thing you can do to lift people out of poverty and help them is giving them an internet connection,” said Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX. “Because once you have the internet connection, you can learn anything for free on the internet, and you can also sell your goods and services to the global market.”
Musk connected this view to SpaceX’s role in global satellite deployment. He said the company now accounts for a significant share of space launches and active satellites in orbit.
According to Musk, SpaceX is responsible for nearly 90 percent of mass launches to orbit this year. He also said that about 80 percent of all active satellites currently belong to SpaceX.
By 2025, SpaceX had built the world’s largest satellite constellation, with more than 9,300 operational satellites. The Starlink network now provides broadband coverage in remote regions where fibre or mobile infrastructure remains limited.
Musk said the scale of the network allows SpaceX to deliver high-bandwidth connectivity across much of the world. He added that the video itself was streamed using a SpaceX internet connection.
SpaceX has a very dominant position in space launch. So of the mass launch to orbit this year, SpaceX will probably do 90% at this point, about maybe approaching 80% of all active satellites in orbit are SpaceX. And they’re providing high bandwidth level connectivity throughout the world.
The discussion comes as access to digital infrastructure increasingly shapes development outcomes. Many humanitarian organisations have highlighted the link between connectivity, education, and economic resilience, alongside efforts such as the UNDP initiative that provided solar-powered clean water systems to 23,000 communities in Somalia.
Satellite Internet As A Pathway To Economic Opportunity
The SpaceX network provides what Musk describes as low-cost, high-bandwidth internet to parts of the world where connectivity has been either unavailable or expensive. According to the entrepreneur, this infrastructure represents a pathway to economic independence for communities that have historically lacked digital access.
Musk’s emphasis on internet connectivity as an anti-poverty tool reflects broader discussions about how technology can address global inequality, echoing arguments that Africa must break free from aid dependency. The expansion of satellite-based internet services continues to reshape access to information and commerce in remote regions worldwide.
