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This is availability for purchase map, not coverage.

capableweb 4y ago
What is the difference? If I pick an address in Africa, it tells me "Service date is unknown at this time", does that mean they have coverage there but I cannot purchase it if I live there? So I could, if I live in Africa, buy it and send it to an address in Europe, go pick it up and then use it from my home in Africa?
- db48x 4y ago
  Hover more thoroughly. Different countries and regions have different tooltips. But no, you would not be able to ship the user terminal to Africa and use it. You can’t even move it more than a few dozen miles from the address they have on file and keep using it, unless you have the more expensive license for mobile users (think RVs and boats and such). Even then it stops working if you enter an area where service is unavailable.
  - capableweb 4y ago
    So realistically then, " This is availability for purchase map, not coverage. " makes no sense, because it is for a fact not available in Africa.
- heyda 4y ago
  The Starlink dishes have GPS data reported so if you aren't authorized in an area it will be disabled. That said, this coverage map looks like it's for commercial sale, Africa is big complicated continent, if you look at Nigeria for instance, it says availability starting in Q4 2022, which means they likely already have some ground stations installed. If the ground stations are installed and the spectrum is allowed then a local government/school could probably purchase a Starlink dish legally and have it work right now. All they need is one dish installed on every continent for the 'all seven continents supported' to TECHNICALLY be correct, obviously this tweet is just marketing. It's still pretty cool to see that many incredibly under-served communities in South America/Africa/Asia will be able to be served considering running physical infrastructure is very expensive.
- randyrand 4y ago
  The difference is pretty big! Without coverage, no one can use Starlink. If there is coverage, state governments can allow Starlink usage.
coding123 4y ago
To expand, they get their internet from ground stations. If they had just one or two ground stations, like in CA and TX, then everyone would be depending on the laser network and the entire operation would be slow. So they can't sell to a lot of people that would just be getting laser coverage.

What is the difference? If I pick an address in Africa, it tells me "Service date is unknown at this time", does that mean they have coverage there but I cannot purchase it if I live there? So I could, if I live in Africa, buy it and send it to an address in Europe, go pick it up and then use it from my home in Africa?

db48x 4y ago
Hover more thoroughly. Different countries and regions have different tooltips. But no, you would not be able to ship the user terminal to Africa and use it. You can’t even move it more than a few dozen miles from the address they have on file and keep using it, unless you have the more expensive license for mobile users (think RVs and boats and such). Even then it stops working if you enter an area where service is unavailable.
- capableweb 4y ago
  So realistically then, " This is availability for purchase map, not coverage. " makes no sense, because it is for a fact not available in Africa.
heyda 4y ago
The Starlink dishes have GPS data reported so if you aren't authorized in an area it will be disabled. That said, this coverage map looks like it's for commercial sale, Africa is big complicated continent, if you look at Nigeria for instance, it says availability starting in Q4 2022, which means they likely already have some ground stations installed. If the ground stations are installed and the spectrum is allowed then a local government/school could probably purchase a Starlink dish legally and have it work right now. All they need is one dish installed on every continent for the 'all seven continents supported' to TECHNICALLY be correct, obviously this tweet is just marketing. It's still pretty cool to see that many incredibly under-served communities in South America/Africa/Asia will be able to be served considering running physical infrastructure is very expensive.
randyrand 4y ago
The difference is pretty big! Without coverage, no one can use Starlink. If there is coverage, state governments can allow Starlink usage.

coding123 4y ago

To expand, they get their internet from ground stations. If they had just one or two ground stations, like in CA and TX, then everyone would be depending on the laser network and the entire operation would be slow. So they can't sell to a lot of people that would just be getting laser coverage.