With latency as low as 25ms, SpaceX to launch broadband satellites in 2019

Post by ouid » Wed, May 03, 2017, 9:59 PM UTC

linkregister wrote: post #38

elevensies wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they need licenses to use the radio spectrum. I believe Iridium set up a system in China so that all calls are routed through Chinese systems, so there is some historical precedent. The government of China also has anti-satellite weapons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Chinese_anti-satellite_mi... .

A nation using an anti-satellite weapon against another entity's satellite would be an unlikely, enormous escalation.

Post by shmerl » Wed, May 03, 2017, 10:02 PM UTC

oatmealsnap wrote: post #35

dingaling wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Data customers would pay for access on an individual basis. At a subscriber level, monthly billing to 'SpaceX Broadband, Redmond' might be cause for inquisitive State Police to visit. At a state level, the legality of jamming / interfering with satellites over national territory has never been definitively established. So SpaceX might find it easier to just turn-off over hostile nations than have them upset the net…

BitCoin?

Post by shmerl » Wed, May 03, 2017, 10:04 PM UTC

oh_sigh wrote: post #26

_archon_ wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they do this? EDIT: Data customers would pay for access on an individual basis. Helicopter-parent countries might cry foul, but what leverage do they have? It's not like they were going to launch things with SpaceX and they can threaten to stop.

They can jam whatever frequency the networks operates on. Or embargo any receiver/tramistter that could be used to connect to the network. Yes, some people would be able to work around any attempt at blockage, but that wouldn't scale to providing non-technical people with cheap/unrestricted internet.

Post by shmerl » Wed, May 03, 2017, 10:06 PM UTC

hackuser wrote: post #59

oceanswave wrote: post #31

Seven years. US Broadband providers have seven years to take us over the coals, practice full bore capitalism with our data and generally run oligilistic practices until their time even begins to run out

You have alternatives now; 4G cellular is one example. But they are difficult and/or expensive. We'll have to see if this solution is different; right now it's just a plan.

Post by ben_w » Wed, May 03, 2017, 10:20 PM UTC

shmerl wrote: post #67

hackuser wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have alternatives now; 4G cellular is one example. But they are difficult and/or expensive. We'll have to see if this solution is different; right now it's just a plan.

If it's difficult and/or expensive, it's not a real alternative, isn't it?