Starlink

[Jstpssng]

We have never had land line phone service out here. First phone - Motorola Bag Phone - ATT service. Not too expensive - limited minutes - fairly good reception. Then along came digital. Phones got tiny and service was spotty & expensive. Now I have this dam Apple iPhone XR. It will be long out of date by the time I figure it out. At least, I can make/receive phone calls on this "miracle of modern science".

I also had a bag phone with a regional provider. I had better service with that in 1996 than I get now with my current employer provided "smart phone." I've gone back to a landline for my phone/internet and also back to planning my day around being home if I need to make a phone call... just like before my first cell phone almost 25 years ago.

 

[hawkeye08]

Might get interesting if this really is available next year... if the price is reasonable, then it will have the potential to really cut into business for existing services in rural areas especially.. stay tuned.

 

[Oaktree]

Starlink mid 2020 launch? I'll believe it when I see it considering Elon Musk's reputation for over selling and under delivering!

I was thinking the same thing.

Yes, Starlink has the potential to be a game-changer for many ISPs. They will be forced to adjust or disappear.

We've heard this song before. Remember Google fiber? That kind of fizzled out.
If (big if) it works as advertised, is deployed nationwide and the price is reasonable it would be great, but I'm not holding my breath. Lower orbit=more satellites needed, and how many will be in range of where it's needed most (and has the fewest potential subscribers per square mile). I think we'll all be driving electric cars long before this is reality.
Call me a skeptic, but I've seen too much vaporware over the years .

 

[rekees4300]

That's a valid point, we'll know more 1 year from now. Let's keep our fingers crossed to see if Elon can walk-the-walk as well as he talks-the-talk. :soapbox:

 

[Diggin It]

Where are people getting the idea that service will be publicly available on any wide scale within a year?

 

[rekees4300]

Where are people getting the idea that service will be publicly available on any wide scale within a year?

From this article but "sufficient coverage" isn't explicit: SpaceX's Satellite Internet Plans for Mid-2020 Launch in the US

"On Tuesday, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell mentioned the launch date for the US market, during a media roundtable, according to SpaceNews. The company's goal is to launch six to eight additional batches of satellites over the next months so that the broadband service has sufficient coverage."

 

[rekees4300]

Astronomers sound the alarm about Elon Musk's project.

SpaceX and Starlink are changing the night sky, and fast - CNET

 

[MAD777]

Before telegraph, electricity, telephone and cable TV, we didn't have poles lining every street in America with multiple wires running everywhere.

 

[Jchonline]

Can’t they just make them non reflective?

 

[rekees4300]

Can稚 they just make them non reflective?

The article mentions that solution but results are unclear.

With Starlink satellites already marring astronomical observations at this very early stage, there's been an outcry from astronomers and a promise from SpaceX to work with scientists and remedy any of their concerns. An experimental "DarkSat" with a coating meant to make it less reflective was launched with one batch of Starlink satellites, but it's unclear if the approach can work.

The dark coating may cause the satellite to absorb more heat from the sun and ultimately malfunction. When Bassa attempted to observe the DarkSat in January, it didn't appear to be much fainter than its uncoated Starlink siblings. Other astrophotographers, including Thierry Legault, recorded similar observations in the video below. Bassa hopes to take another look soon to see what exactly is going on with the experimental satellite, but told me that weather has been uncooperative so far.