Which orbital regime demands massive quantity for minimum delay, contrasting with GEO's few units?

LEO

The orbital regime characterized by demanding a massive quantity of spacecraft to achieve minimum signal delay is Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Satellites operating in LEO orbit hundreds or a couple of thousand kilometers above the surface, granting them excellent signal strength and minimal time delay, which engineers refer to as low latency. This low latency is essential for modern, high-speed internet services. The necessity for a massive quantity arises because, due to their low altitude, the visible footprint of each satellite on the Earth's surface is much smaller. Consequently, hundreds or thousands of units are required to ensure constant, overlapping coverage across the entire globe, representing a direct trade-off: minimum delay requires maximum quantity, whereas Geostationary Orbit (GEO) provides maximum delay for a minimum count.