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How does something like Starlink fair in these scenarios? How do governments turn off the internet when it comes from space?

supertrope 4y ago
Starlink operates in a bent pipe manner. Transmissions from user stations are relayed to a ground station in the region. Inter-satellite links have not been setup. Even services like Iridium that don't need any in country infrastructure have to comply with national laws. A government can block equipment at customs, criminalize use, and jam the frequencies.
toast0 4y ago
Starlink may be legally compelled to comply with a shutdown in the country. If they are compelled and they do comply, well game over. If they don't comply... Starlink currently sends user traffic through exactly one satellite, so that limits the distance between the user and the ground station it communicates with. Depending on the size of the country and where its population tends to be distributed, it may or may not be possible to communicate to a ground station outside the country. If you're stuck with in country ground stations, then there's a question of how they're connected with the global internet. Every country that does internet shutdowns seems to do it a little differently. Sometimes commercial providers aren't included in shutdowns. Some shutdowns are only for mobile carriers, sometimes only for prepaid customers. Sometimes shutdowns are for mobile carriers and residential fixed connections. Sometimes, all international connectivity runs through government control, and they shut down the whole thing. Often, international voice calling still works, and you can run a modem on that, but it's slow, often expensive, and obvious if anyone at the phone company cares to look and the government cares to punish circumvention.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
jmprspret 4y ago
Well it comes down from space to a device that can receive the signal. Without that middle device there is no starlink - especially when it's proprietary. If it weren't proprietary, maybe people could DIY a receiver station thin.

supertrope 4y ago

Starlink operates in a bent pipe manner. Transmissions from user stations are relayed to a ground station in the region. Inter-satellite links have not been setup. Even services like Iridium that don't need any in country infrastructure have to comply with national laws. A government can block equipment at customs, criminalize use, and jam the frequencies.

toast0 4y ago

Starlink may be legally compelled to comply with a shutdown in the country. If they are compelled and they do comply, well game over. If they don't comply... Starlink currently sends user traffic through exactly one satellite, so that limits the distance between the user and the ground station it communicates with. Depending on the size of the country and where its population tends to be distributed, it may or may not be possible to communicate to a ground station outside the country. If you're stuck with in country ground stations, then there's a question of how they're connected with the global internet. Every country that does internet shutdowns seems to do it a little differently. Sometimes commercial providers aren't included in shutdowns. Some shutdowns are only for mobile carriers, sometimes only for prepaid customers. Sometimes shutdowns are for mobile carriers and residential fixed connections. Sometimes, all international connectivity runs through government control, and they shut down the whole thing. Often, international voice calling still works, and you can run a modem on that, but it's slow, often expensive, and obvious if anyone at the phone company cares to look and the government cares to punish circumvention.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

jmprspret 4y ago

Well it comes down from space to a device that can receive the signal. Without that middle device there is no starlink - especially when it's proprietary. If it weren't proprietary, maybe people could DIY a receiver station thin.