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Starlink definitively operates in Brazil as of right now, Internet service works (including ex-Twitter).

by jowea 2y ago

nradov 2y ago
Just because you can pick up a satellite signal in a certain country doesn't mean that the satellite operator is operating (from a legal perspective) in that country. A country's airspace legally extends only up to a certain altitude. In theory Brazil could try to force SpaceX to stop by taking legal action through the US court system, or administrative action through the international bodies that coordinate satellite communications frequencies and orbits, but that would be unlikely to work.
- guax 2y ago
  Brazil is not downing satellites. It's blocking bank accounts. They can issue other penalties like revoke isp licenses, I wonder if you can also block traffic from that network (imagine you cannot access your online banking because your provider is illegal), but hey, at least you can still go on X.
- sabbaticaldev 2y ago
  that’s going to have many world-wide implications
- linotype 2y ago
  They’ve already said they’ll make the service free for customers in Brazil if necessary.
- jowea 2y ago
  That's actually an interesting point. As of before this dispute, Starlink obviously operated in Brazil because it operates ground stations in and has paying Brazilian clients. Assuming it continues operating without that, I wonder what would happen. I mean, it's like insulting a random dictator on the Internet while living in another country, right? As long as they aren't willing to send in their hit squad with some Polonium not much they can do. So unless the Brazilian government is going to start shooting at the satellites or those legal channels you mention which I also am not convinced would work. Oh by the way, there seems there's going to be a very large fine for Brazilians circumventing the block to access ex-Twitter. So it may just be on the client side, if anything actually happens.

Starlink definitively operates in Brazil as of right now, Internet service works (including ex-Twitter).

by jowea 2y ago

Starlink definitively operates in Brazil as of right now, Internet service works (including ex-Twitter).

Just because you can pick up a satellite signal in a certain country doesn't mean that the satellite operator is operating (from a legal perspective) in that country. A country's airspace legally extends only up to a certain altitude. In theory Brazil could try to force SpaceX to stop by taking legal action through the US court system, or administrative action through the international bodies that coordinate satellite communications frequencies and orbits, but that would be unlikely to work.

guax 2y ago
Brazil is not downing satellites. It's blocking bank accounts. They can issue other penalties like revoke isp licenses, I wonder if you can also block traffic from that network (imagine you cannot access your online banking because your provider is illegal), but hey, at least you can still go on X.
sabbaticaldev 2y ago
that’s going to have many world-wide implications
linotype 2y ago
They’ve already said they’ll make the service free for customers in Brazil if necessary.
jowea 2y ago
That's actually an interesting point. As of before this dispute, Starlink obviously operated in Brazil because it operates ground stations in and has paying Brazilian clients. Assuming it continues operating without that, I wonder what would happen. I mean, it's like insulting a random dictator on the Internet while living in another country, right? As long as they aren't willing to send in their hit squad with some Polonium not much they can do. So unless the Brazilian government is going to start shooting at the satellites or those legal channels you mention which I also am not convinced would work. Oh by the way, there seems there's going to be a very large fine for Brazilians circumventing the block to access ex-Twitter. So it may just be on the client side, if anything actually happens.