3 ms·

The key question is, how much does it cost to run Starlink? This will determine how many customers they need to stay afloat. The second key question is, are t

The key question is, how much does it cost to run Starlink? This will determine how many customers they need to stay afloat. The second key question is, are there enough customers that can pay $100 per month for service? If not, Starlink will crumble. You have to be fairly affluent to be able to afford $1200 per year for Internet service. If you can afford it, a lot of people would like to sell you terrestrial service for less.

inglor_cz 5y ago
Remembering the advent of the Internet in the Czech Republic of the late 1990s, people will share connections. Regardless of EULAs. Hell, people even shared dial-ups. Like, 56 kbps for three neighboring units on a single floor. It sucked, but it was much better than nothing. That is what I expect in poorer countries to happen. Starlink may claim that one terminal is meant for one household only, but they will silently tolerate connection sharing as long as it gives them penetration. And third world metropolises aren't exactly penetrated by optic networks. So the alternative is probably an overloaded 4G network.
_ph_ 5y ago
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Fast network connections in Germany are really difficult to get in some regions. Recently the government even issued free vouchers for the Starlink setup fee to people who couldn't get a fast wired connection. This is of course a failure to regulate the telecommunication giants, which get fat and rich in the big cities, but are not good at connecting remote locations (this doesn't earn them money). On the other side, Starlink was very helpful in setting up emergency WLAN hotspots in the disaster area of the recent floodings.
- inglor_cz 5y ago
  "Starlink was very helpful in setting up emergency WLAN hotspots in the disaster area of the recent floodings." I really liked that, it was a good illustration of how global orbital coverage can improve lives even in rich countries.
piva00 5y ago
The market I can see for Starlink has probably increased after 2020: affluent people living outside of major cities where internet service is spotty or slow. If there is some real movement of people in office jobs now working 100% remotely moving to the countryside I can see how Starlink would be a good proposal. It's a small increase in internet costs with a much lower cost of living than in a city.

inglor_cz 5y ago

Remembering the advent of the Internet in the Czech Republic of the late 1990s, people will share connections. Regardless of EULAs. Hell, people even shared dial-ups. Like, 56 kbps for three neighboring units on a single floor. It sucked, but it was much better than nothing. That is what I expect in poorer countries to happen. Starlink may claim that one terminal is meant for one household only, but they will silently tolerate connection sharing as long as it gives them penetration. And third world metropolises aren't exactly penetrated by optic networks. So the alternative is probably an overloaded 4G network.

_ph_ 5y ago

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Fast network connections in Germany are really difficult to get in some regions. Recently the government even issued free vouchers for the Starlink setup fee to people who couldn't get a fast wired connection. This is of course a failure to regulate the telecommunication giants, which get fat and rich in the big cities, but are not good at connecting remote locations (this doesn't earn them money). On the other side, Starlink was very helpful in setting up emergency WLAN hotspots in the disaster area of the recent floodings.

inglor_cz 5y ago
"Starlink was very helpful in setting up emergency WLAN hotspots in the disaster area of the recent floodings." I really liked that, it was a good illustration of how global orbital coverage can improve lives even in rich countries.

piva00 5y ago

The market I can see for Starlink has probably increased after 2020: affluent people living outside of major cities where internet service is spotty or slow. If there is some real movement of people in office jobs now working 100% remotely moving to the countryside I can see how Starlink would be a good proposal. It's a small increase in internet costs with a much lower cost of living than in a city.