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Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

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Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#271

Post by shagie »

grahamburger wrote: post #258
shagie wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My parents have Starlink. They live in an area surrounded by dairy farms. It's half a mile between mailboxes. The nearest town is 7 miles away (though only 3 as the crow flies - lots of hills between here and there). None of the neighbors have cable TV. You've got to either go into town or t'wards the highway 7 miles the other direction). Three years ago, the utility ran natural gas that far out. Prior to that, it wa…

Looks like they may be getting fiber from Bertram Communications soon: https://maps.psc.wi.gov/portal/apps/experiencebuilder/experi... That or Starlink may be getting a wad of cash just to keep serving them, courtesy of this administration's NTIA.

The area south of Highway 19 in Dane County to north of Highway 39 in Green county is still rather bare of awards.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#273

Post by protocolture »

devin wrote: post #126

I've written it elsewhere, but: it is such a shame that the United States saw fit to run electricity _everywhere_, no matter how rural your location, but instead of do the same for rural internet we had to wait for... a private company to launch a global network of satellites. Yes, this post is about internet access while traveling 500mph, which is a different problem, but it is so messed up that people fall over the…

>I've written it elsewhere, but: it is such a shame that the United States saw fit to run electricity _everywhere_, no matter how rural your location, but instead of do the same for rural internet we had to wait for... a private company to launch a global network of satellites.

Actually whats crazy is that you guys had private and public power run everywhere, and those companies had private and public fibre companies run fibre through those power lead ins almost everywhere that's practical. A feat thats honestly not been achieved anywhere else that I have seen. Lots of people in other countries stomp around wondering why private fibre doesnt just materialise in their house, when they have no access to national public utilities. The answer was local utilities. But there's not even an ounce of appreciation for it outside of the ISP space.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#274

Post by iknowstuff »

platevoltage wrote: post #254
edgyquant wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think we should subsidize internet, but your framing here rubs me the wrong way. People in these rural areas usually live among family and have lived there for generations, reducing this to a choice feels very elitist. People aren’t “choosing” to not pack up their entire lives and move to a city or town.

We shouldn't subsidize internet, it should be provided. The internet is necessary to participate in modern society, and to only provide it to people who can afford it is what's actually elitist.

Last we checked we pay for water too. It’s abundant. It still makes sense to have a price on it because it’s a resource like anything else.

In the same way, we pay for the internet. Free wifi exists if you can’t afford service.

Rather than elitist, it’s just… not communist.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#275

Post by apitman »

sva_ wrote: post #134
TulliusCicero wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds somewhat unpleasant even if the connection itself is fine. How much space did you have for a mouse?

I guess not everyone flies economy (I do though, and not out of choice.)

I thought this was an AoE2 eco joke for a second

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#277

Post by stingraycharles »

jfoster wrote: post #247
gpt5 wrote: post #4

One nice thing about Starlink is that they force the airlines to offer it for free. I’m not sure why SpaceX is doing this, but it was surprising enough to me that my international WiFi was not only fast, but completely free that I researched it.

I think this approach gets the whole industry to adopt it. Consider the opposite approach. If they let airlines charge any amount for it, the airlines that installed it would make it expensive. No one would use it. Other airlines would feel no pressure to offer it. By making it free, it gets used, and eventually depended upon. SpaceX are making free wifi the expectation from consumers on flights.

Correct, I’ve had Starlink in several long haul flights over the past 6 months and it’s already becoming an expectation, ie makes the flights without it noticeably worse. I’m not sure whether everyone gets it for free, though, it was my understanding that it’s complementary for business class but a paid add on for economy. But once you have it, it’s fast and stable.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#278

Post by apitman »

TulliusCicero wrote: post #103
apitman wrote: post #7

I've only had it once, but inflight Starlink is a game changer. I was able to play a ranked AoE2 game over the Pacific Ocean.

That sounds somewhat unpleasant even if the connection itself is fine. How much space did you have for a mouse?

It depends on the airline, but sometimes I can put my laptop in weird positions that aren't half bad. The main technique is fully opening the screen, balancing the laptop on its lower edge, and using a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Has the added benefit of putting the screen closer to eye level.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#279

Post by Affric »

andrewharvey wrote: post #215
modeless wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have it exactly backwards. It is far less complex and expensive and resource intensive to build Starlink than to run a new copper or fiber line with associated telecom equipment on both sides to every rural residence in the US, let alone worldwide. Yes, despite the large cost of launching satellites. And it's especially good that we don't have to force everyone to subsidize inefficient monopoly utilities with our…

this. Except it's no longer only in rural areas, grid connected utilities are now costing more than being off grid in the cities too. Starlink residential 100 Mbps is cheaper ($69/mo AUD) (ignoring hardware and setup costs) than 50 Mbps fixed line internet ($80/mo AUD). Depending on location, home solar + batteries will usually work out cheaper than being on the grid within the battery warranty period too.

Grid prices are going to start coming down in some of the most expensive parts of Australia due to SAPS, home generation and storage, and microgrids.

I wouldn’t rule out the grid just yet.

Re: Show HN: Will my flight have Starlink?

#280

Post by renewiltord »

strbean wrote: post #160
iknowstuff wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People in the United States can choose to live in very rural and sparsely populated areas, far more remote than most OECD countries. It’s not clear to me that we should necessarily massively subsidize their choice to live in the sticks these days. Starlink and 5G are great for this, as is solar energy and batteries. We already subsidize sprawl’s expensive-per-person infrastructure with tax revenue from dense cities.…

I think this is very short-sighted, on the order of "Why should we subsidize package / letter delivery to people in the sticks?" The economic benefit of making those people available as consumers, lowering barriers to their engagement in markets, is enormous and certainly pays for itself.

No, it is not at all certain that it pays for itself. What evidence do you have for that assertion?
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