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I would imagine a $500 dish, plus installation (which can be done oneself) is much cheaper than digging trenches for fiber or copper lines, or hanging lines on

I would imagine a $500 dish, plus installation (which can be done oneself) is much cheaper than digging trenches for fiber or copper lines, or hanging lines on utilities with obnoxious right of ways. For the cost of the dish to be cited as a blocker is mysterious, it's actually cheap compared to the prices quoted to truly rural folks to get fiber pulled to their remote locations. It's a political move against Elon, just like the previous EV TAX incentive where the strings-attached involved having factories with union labor. Sure $500 is costly, but it's better than nothing.... that's the point.

JohnFen 4y ago
> Sure $500 is costly, but it's better than nothing. It's not better than nothing if you can't afford the $500.
janef0421 4y ago
Starlink's primary competition in those areas is likely to be 4G or 5G wireless using a fibre backhaul, not fibre to the network access terminal.
- chrisjc 4y ago
  Yup, this is another idea I've heard floating around. In some situations where fiber backhaul or line-of-sight is not feasible, Starlink could link their ground stations to these hard to service locations extending the reach of existing backhaul. Then the 4/5G can be set up using a mixture of fiber, line-of-sight or Starlink backhaul, depending on the situation and location. Of course this is another way that Starlink might be able to win some of these contracts. They could set up (or work with a partner) mini 4/5G networks in these rural areas and also use a mixture of fiber and Starlink backhaul. After all, they still need fiber backhaul for their ground stations anyways. Starlink customers end up not needing to buy the current, expensive hardware and just use relatively inexpensive 4/5G modems. I've heard this isn't possible with the gen 1 satellites, so still a theory until the Starship program is off the ground.

JohnFen 4y ago

> Sure $500 is costly, but it's better than nothing. It's not better than nothing if you can't afford the $500.

janef0421 4y ago

Starlink's primary competition in those areas is likely to be 4G or 5G wireless using a fibre backhaul, not fibre to the network access terminal.

chrisjc 4y ago
Yup, this is another idea I've heard floating around. In some situations where fiber backhaul or line-of-sight is not feasible, Starlink could link their ground stations to these hard to service locations extending the reach of existing backhaul. Then the 4/5G can be set up using a mixture of fiber, line-of-sight or Starlink backhaul, depending on the situation and location. Of course this is another way that Starlink might be able to win some of these contracts. They could set up (or work with a partner) mini 4/5G networks in these rural areas and also use a mixture of fiber and Starlink backhaul. After all, they still need fiber backhaul for their ground stations anyways. Starlink customers end up not needing to buy the current, expensive hardware and just use relatively inexpensive 4/5G modems. I've heard this isn't possible with the gen 1 satellites, so still a theory until the Starship program is off the ground.