Starlink

[lman]

I wish the government would step in do something about replacing copper with fiber. Seeing how private industry just cannot seem to roll it out to the masses.

They did CAF2 here and put a mini dslam closer to me. I was initially told that my speed would increase. Eventually they told me that my speed would not increase. The tech claimed that the larger dslam was not fed by fiber and nobody knew that until the project was complete. I don't buy that any organization could be that incompetent though. It looks like Centurylink got money from the government without any improvements. Maybe it was just to stimulate somebody's wallet.

 

[riptides]

That would be nice in some ways, yet not the way that the free market system works. If you want all of the benefits of urban life that's the place to be... don't ask everybody else to subsidize your lifestyle.

Yeah... heard that position many times over the years.

I am not asking for a subsidized lifestyle. I am asking for high speed internet connectivity. Consistent with technology advancements.

 

[kcflhrc]

This is no different than rural water or sewer's. No one wants to pay for it but everyone wants the benefits and someone else to pay for it.

 

[kcflhrc]

They did CAF2 here and put a mini dslam closer to me. I was initially told that my speed would increase. Eventually they told me that my speed would not increase. The tech claimed that the larger dslam was not fed by fiber and nobody knew that until the project was complete. I don't buy that any organization could be that incompetent though. It looks like Centurylink got money from the government without any improvements. Maybe it was just to stimulate somebody's wallet.

CAF requirements are a minimum 10 meg down. Not all CAF DSLAM's are fiber fed but the 10 meg requirement is still there. Info below

Connect America Fund Phase II FAQS | Federal Communications Commission

 

[riptides]

This is no different than rural water or sewer's. No one wants to pay for it but everyone wants the benefits and someone else to pay for it.

Hardly. I can do my own water, I can do my own sewer, I cannot tap into a fiber link. Well, I theoretically could but a whole lot of people would not be pleased with that.

 

[downsizingnow48]

If you google rural broadband subsidies, there are lots of articles on the topic. The bottom line seems to be the federal govt gives out a lot of money in subsidies but it vanishes without a trace. For decades there were subsidies for rural telephone service and rural electrification, those programs I think worked pretty well for the time they were needed.

 

[riptides]

If you google rural broadband subsidies, there are lots of articles on the topic. The bottom line seems to be the federal govt gives out a lot of money in subsidies but it vanishes without a trace. For decades there were subsidies for rural telephone service and rural electrification, those programs I think worked pretty well for the time they were needed.

Agree, we need another innovative government program that leads to the breakup of the Bell System it will create. Somewhat..LOL.

 

[rekees4300]

The bottom line seems to be the federal govt gives out a lot of money in subsidies but it vanishes without a trace.

Truer words were never spoken. :drink: The government's standard "action" is to throw taxpayer money at a problem then claim problem solved. Bureaucrats get atta boy, ISPs get rich, and John Q. Public gets zip. Starlink is a private endeavor so hopefully John Q. Public will get real broadband.

 

[kcflhrc]

I think the last thing anyone would want is a Government regulated Program for broadband. It's not regulated now and God help us if it ever is. There seems to be a lot of myth's and inconsistencies posted on this thread. I would suggest everyone educate themselves on what ISP's are and are not required to do. The CAF project is designed to get HSI to people that in the past haven't been able to get it before or to upgrade current infrastructure. It isn't designed to get fiber and 1 gig speeds to every Podunk town and home in Rural America. If you need those things then it would be a good idea to move or wait for StarLink. I hope StarLink is a success. Then maybe everyone will quit bitching about this provider or that provider. You should have really thought these things through before you moved, I know I did. But then again, what's important to some isn't important at all to other's.

 

[kcflhrc]

If you google rural broadband subsidies, there are lots of articles on the topic. The bottom line seems to be the federal govt gives out a lot of money in subsidies but it vanishes without a trace. For decades there were subsidies for rural telephone service and rural electrification, those programs I think worked pretty well for the time they were needed.

I can tell you first hand the money doesn't disappear without a trace. Why would you say that without first hand knowledge. Oh yeah, this is the internet, you can say whatever you want without any facts or consequences. I see the CAF Projects going on here all the time.

 

[riptides]

I think the last thing anyone would want is a Government regulated Program for broadband. It's not regulated now and God help us if it ever is. There seems to be a lot of myth's and inconsistencies posted on this thread. I would suggest everyone educate themselves on what ISP's are and are not required to do. The CAF project is designed to get HSI to people that in the past haven't been able to get it before or to upgrade current infrastructure. It isn't designed to get fiber and 1 gig speeds to every Podunk town and home in Rural America. If you need those things then it would be a good idea to move or wait for StarLink. I hope StarLink is a success. Then maybe everyone will quit bitching about this provider or that provider. You should have really thought these things through before you moved, I know I did. But then again, what's important to some isn't important at all to other's.

A government regulated program for "broadband" ACCESS is needed. To me, that means rules, regulations, procedures and process to build out an infrastructure for consumers to ACCESS. Consumer based ACCESS will be through available ISP providers.

We can start by giving a clearer definition of what broadband means.

 

[kcflhrc]

The definition of Broadband is pretty clear and readily available. Basically anything that isn't dial up is broadband. Lots of different technologies out there.

 

[radios1]

A government regulated program for "broadband" ACCESS is needed. To me, that means rules, regulations, procedures and process to build out an infrastructure for consumers to ACCESS. Consumer based ACCESS will be through available ISP providers.

We can start by giving a clearer definition of what broadband means.

as long as there's no spying and censorship, yes.. the government wanted to install "clipper chips" in cell phones. no good!!.. BTW, Hackers can exploit any backdoors put in!..

 

[kcflhrc]

as long as there's no spying and censorship, yes.. the government wanted to install "clipper chips" in cell phones. no good!!.. BTW, Hackers can exploit any backdoors put in!..

Exactly why you don't want the FED's involved in it. Then you have to play by their rules, not a good idea.

 

[riptides]

The definition of Broadband is pretty clear and readily available. Basically anything that isn't dial up is broadband. Lots of different technologies out there.

Exactly my point. ...anything not considered dial up....

 

[rekees4300]

A government regulated program for "broadband" ACCESS is needed. To me, that means rules, regulations, procedures and process to build out an infrastructure for consumers to ACCESS. Consumer based ACCESS will be through available ISP providers.

We can start by giving a clearer definition of what broadband means.

The official current definition by the FCC is minimum 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up.

The FCC "Broadband" Definition Has Changed. Here is What It Means.

 

[hutchman]

Time will tell I guess. You would have thought someone putting that much money into a project would have a sense of how long it would take to make his money back. I don't suspect we will know how vastly different it is until it happens. If it's affected by weather like all other satellites then that may be a real problem for people that need a reliable connection. I'm a little biased since I install fiber for a living. As long as you can keep the idiots from cutting it it is as reliable as anything and lightning fast.

Should be a big difference. Getting Internet from a little bird at 341 miles up vs a big bird at 22,200 miles up. Vast difference in latency and power requirements.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

That's always been the problem with HSI in rural areas, everyone wants it but no one wants to pay for it. You can bet this will be no different.

Fiber is cheap. The local county ISP worked out pole sharing with Pacificorp, so I'm about to get fiber in a very rural area. You betcha I signed up as soon as I heard.

 

[cqaigy2]

Fiber is cheap. The local county ISP worked out pole sharing with Pacificorp, so I'm about to get fiber in a very rural area. You betcha I signed up as soon as I heard.

Send them up this way.

 

[kcflhrc]

Define cheap. Fiber is a lot cheaper if you put it in the air but a lot more susceptible to weather conditions, but no, it's not cheap. There's a lot more to it than just the fiber cable. It has to be terminated, you have to have the electronics to run it, then you have to have an inbound circuit to feed the infrastructure. Lots of small companies have attempted around here and then found out how expensive it really is and abandoned their projects. Good luck, hope it works out. Google Fiber has even pulled out of KC around here because of the expense.