Commercial satellite communications began in the early 1960s, building on C-band technologies developed in previous decades for point-to-point terrestrial microwave links. As the industry has grown, C-band usage in satellite communications has been augmented, but not replaced, by the usage of higher frequency bands. In this paper, we outline the advantages and disadvantages of C-band and provide an overview of current applications. Our particular focus is on C-band satellite usage in Canada, where a number of critical lifeline services to remote areas are described. We consider regulatory issues that could pose a threat to the continued use of C-band, notably the results of WRC-07 and studies in the next ITU-R cycle culminating in WRC-15.