4 ms·

I can’t imagine the project would pay off if it was only intended for rural customers.

Andrew_nenakhov 6y ago
All kinds of mobile users are definitely in play too. Trucks, cars, yachts, tankers - all need a connection, and in the middle of the ocean or in the Siberian plains you don't have many options. My friend is right now swimming under sail somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and she'd definitely benefit greatly from an affordable high speed internet connection.
lend000 6y ago
Keep in mind that the three best selling cars in America are pickup trucks, and pickup trucks aren't cheap [0]. [0] https://www.edmunds.com/most-popular-cars/ https://www.edmunds.com/most-popular-cars/
onion2k 6y ago
At some point there'll be a Starlink connection in every Tesla, and Tesla will pay Starlink for that.
kumarharsh 6y ago
How many tractors did Silicon Valley buy again?
state_less 6y ago
Roughly speaking, I think 1 million customers worldwide (rural or otherwise) should get them into profitable territory. 1m*$80 per month=$80m per month ~= $1b per year If the project costs the estimated $10b, the capital cost and operations cost should be covered, or close to it, at ~ 1 million subscribers. This looks like a milk run to me, but I guess we’ll have to see how subscriptions go.
- NullPrefix 6y ago
  You assume people worldwide pay $80 for internet
  - state_less 6y ago
    $80 is what I think subscribers might pay (on average) for Starlink - it's a guess. When you look at what subscribers pay worldwide for internet, it varies, but in the U.S., I currently pay $50/month for 3mbps/0.768mbps DSL (Yuck!) in the countryside. When I'm traveling, ATT is charging around $100/month for unlimited LTE at 8mbps/8mbps. If Starlink can give me 10mbps/10mbps or better at $80/month, I'll take interest. Even more so if Starlink can replace an Iridium go when out at sea. I'm not sure how Starlink will price services around the world. It'll be interesting to see how they work out the terms/pricing globally. If they are competitive though, I think there are enough customers in the U.S. to make it a profitable project.
    - olyjohn 6y ago
      My dad pays something like $80 a month for his 1.5mbps DSL line from CenturyLink. It's such a scam, but he can't get anything else. $80 a month for something decent would be a no-brainer. I even signed him up for the beta, since he's in a rural area. I'm just hoping he is rural enough though, because he is only about 6 miles from the city. 6 miles though should be close enough to get decent wired internet...
Tepix 6y ago
Imagine what Starlink can do for telcos in Africa. Just put a cell tower up anywhere and use Starlink as upstream.
- berbec 6y ago
  Why not just a straight voip phone using starlink as network? Why do 4/5G to starlink at all?
  - oakesm9 6y ago
    Apparently the receiver is roughly the size of a pizza box, so only really useful for static use-cases or attached to something like a truck.
0xffff2 6y ago
I'm pretty sure that says more about your lack of imagination than the economics of Starlink. There are already multiple geosynchronous satellite internet providers that provide incredibly shitty (and expensive) internet service that you would only pay for if it's literally your only option. If Starlink can provide service at less than $100/month, it's going to put all of those companies out of business in a matter of just a few years.

All kinds of mobile users are definitely in play too. Trucks, cars, yachts, tankers - all need a connection, and in the middle of the ocean or in the Siberian plains you don't have many options. My friend is right now swimming under sail somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and she'd definitely benefit greatly from an affordable high speed internet connection.

lend000 6y ago

Keep in mind that the three best selling cars in America are pickup trucks, and pickup trucks aren't cheap [0]. [0] https://www.edmunds.com/most-popular-cars/ https://www.edmunds.com/most-popular-cars/

onion2k 6y ago

At some point there'll be a Starlink connection in every Tesla, and Tesla will pay Starlink for that.

kumarharsh 6y ago

How many tractors did Silicon Valley buy again?

state_less 6y ago

Roughly speaking, I think 1 million customers worldwide (rural or otherwise) should get them into profitable territory. 1m*$80 per month=$80m per month ~= $1b per year If the project costs the estimated $10b, the capital cost and operations cost should be covered, or close to it, at ~ 1 million subscribers. This looks like a milk run to me, but I guess we’ll have to see how subscriptions go.

NullPrefix 6y ago
You assume people worldwide pay $80 for internet
- state_less 6y ago
  $80 is what I think subscribers might pay (on average) for Starlink - it's a guess. When you look at what subscribers pay worldwide for internet, it varies, but in the U.S., I currently pay $50/month for 3mbps/0.768mbps DSL (Yuck!) in the countryside. When I'm traveling, ATT is charging around $100/month for unlimited LTE at 8mbps/8mbps. If Starlink can give me 10mbps/10mbps or better at $80/month, I'll take interest. Even more so if Starlink can replace an Iridium go when out at sea. I'm not sure how Starlink will price services around the world. It'll be interesting to see how they work out the terms/pricing globally. If they are competitive though, I think there are enough customers in the U.S. to make it a profitable project.
  - olyjohn 6y ago
    My dad pays something like $80 a month for his 1.5mbps DSL line from CenturyLink. It's such a scam, but he can't get anything else. $80 a month for something decent would be a no-brainer. I even signed him up for the beta, since he's in a rural area. I'm just hoping he is rural enough though, because he is only about 6 miles from the city. 6 miles though should be close enough to get decent wired internet...

Tepix 6y ago

Imagine what Starlink can do for telcos in Africa. Just put a cell tower up anywhere and use Starlink as upstream.

berbec 6y ago
Why not just a straight voip phone using starlink as network? Why do 4/5G to starlink at all?
- oakesm9 6y ago
  Apparently the receiver is roughly the size of a pizza box, so only really useful for static use-cases or attached to something like a truck.

0xffff2 6y ago

I'm pretty sure that says more about your lack of imagination than the economics of Starlink. There are already multiple geosynchronous satellite internet providers that provide incredibly shitty (and expensive) internet service that you would only pay for if it's literally your only option. If Starlink can provide service at less than $100/month, it's going to put all of those companies out of business in a matter of just a few years.