Starlink loses out on $886 million in rural broadband subsidies::The FCC reaffirmed a decision not to award Starlink a nearly $900 million subsidy for offering 100Mbps/20Mbps low-latency internet service in 35 states.

  • spudwart@spudwart.com
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    9 months ago

    Reminder that Starlink is the internet equivalent to the Hyperloop.

    There are untold billions that the government gave out as subsidies to increase internet speeds across the nation and bring internet to everyone across the U.S. Which mysteriously vanished.

    All the while now Elon has been promising vaporware and bullshit, as he usually does while Tech Bros, billionaires and the media gobble it up.

    • jonne@infosec.pub
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      9 months ago

      Eh, starlink at least works by all accounts. I guess the jury is still out if it’s sustainable as a business because the satellites are deorbiting like crazy.

      • echo64@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        If your business plan involves firing out infinite rockets full of cell towers forever. You should probably just spend the money on copper instead.

        • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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          9 months ago

          I don’t think you quite understand just how remote some people are. Besides, Starlink is also being used on vessels and aircraft, good luck getting copper out to them.

          Also, fibre optic is how the cool people Internet these days.

          • echo64@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            I don’t think you understand that a lot of copper is still less than infinite rockets forever

              • alsimoneau@lemmy.ca
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                9 months ago

                The issue with starlink is the choice to be in LEO instead of using geosats. It lowers the latency but it makes the whole project completely unsustainable.

                • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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                  9 months ago

                  I suspect they’ll eventually move to a slightly higher orbit, where their satellites can last a decade or so, once the technology is more mature.

            • Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              This is the kind of dumb statement that really gives this platform a bad name. I know people who were quoted a six figure sum to get mains power to their property, fibre would have been a similar cost. And this is people who are at a fixed location, we also have those who are mobile to consider.

              There are people for whom a wired connection to anything is out of the question.

      • spudwart@spudwart.com
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        9 months ago

        They aren’t sustainable because they are de-orbiting but they’re also supposed to be low-cost and high speed.

        If the prices aren’t low-cost, and the speeds continue to decrease, it’s entire purpose is defeated.

    • cameron_vale@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Not vaporware. It actually works very well. And if you live in the sticks you thank your blessed angels for it.

    • Cowbee@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Hyperloop should be halted and replaced with high speed rail, and starlink should be nationalized. Musk keeps rinsing and repeating his grand privatized infrastructure projects where he essentially embezzles public funds.