Satellite communication has the merits of large capacity in transmission power, convenient installation of transoceanic TV terminals, and low cost. After they have set up ground stations with transmitters and receivers, several countries and areas may share a satellite. So far, the Republic of China has rented 343 satellite voice channels--265 stationed above the Pacific Ocean and 78 above the Indian Ocean.
除了電路多、可以轉播電視外，衛星通訊還有一個很大的優點，就是發射一枚衛星，可以同時供許多國家使用，凡是想利用衛星通訊的國家或地區，只要在當地設立地面電台，並向衛星租用電路即可，而地面電台的設備費用較海纜便宜。