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FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

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161–170 of 331 posts

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#161
post #4

This is monumental - I claim every major advance in communication technology immediately precedes a major progress for society. This will make the 'Internet' truly global and ubiquitous. So excited for the developing world.

I'm from a third world country(Sri Lanka) and we already have really cheap LTE access, the connection I'm using right now(on my phone) gives me something like 1GB/1.5USD at average 4MBPS. What sucks is the speed and reliability, speed always fluctuate and even though most of the island is now covered by 3G, LTE is not a given. It has been improving a lot though because we have relatively good competition between mobi…

I was visiting a friend in Sri Lanka in 2004 and he was checking cricket scores on his phone in the middle of the jungle. I still can’t get a signal the whole way between KC and Omaha. We Americans sometimes ave a distorted view of the world.

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>This will make the 'Internet' truly global and ubiquitous... So does it makes the exploitation that comes with it... Providing internet to the unmotivated masses only results in their exploitation..not in their empowerment.

Your claim seems too broad to be justifiable.

The idea is that most of the people (think around 99.5 percentage) of the people ll be hooked to the insta-gratification stuff provided by the internet, ending up perpetually distracted, manipulated, with new insecurities instilled and existing ones blown up, ad fed human beings...

So as I said again, it ll result in the exploitation of 99.5 percentage and may be empower the rest to attempt something that was impossible before...

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wouldn't the latency of a sat connection interfere with something real-time like video conferencing?

These are very low orbit satellites, not geosynchronous ones. 200 miles, instead of 36,000. Should be much better latency

I think you have your distances wrong. Geosynchronous orbit is 36,000km not miles.

LEO is a range between 300km - 2000km. I suspect the satellites will be on the higher range to reduce atmospheric drag. The IIS has a 400km (250 miles) orbit and it's orbit decays at 2km/month without correction maneuvers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#165
post #140
post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China won't shoot down commercial satellites, they'll just either jam the signal, or block ownership of the ground terminals. Shooting down satellites is very expensive, and would cause an incredible hue and cry internationally. It's one thing to shoot down one of your own defunct satellites, quite another thing to shoot down someone else's.

> Shooting down satellites is very expensive It's less expensive than launching satellites, and the Chinese goverment has enough money to do it if they want.

> It's less expensive than launching satellites

Are you sure? If China knocks out one of ours, we’ll knock out at least one of theirs. We’ll also likely implement a suite of sanctions. Shooting down a satellite is an act of war.

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. While not as profound as bringing access to the developing world, this will also be a major win for people looking to live alternative lifestyles, i.e. perpetual traveling, van life etc, where keeping a consistent internet connection is the one thing holding many back.

> live alternative lifestyles I know exactly the meaning that you intend here, but at first I thought "how exactly is this going to be beneficial for polyamorous triads of hemp farmers who attend burning man every year?"

Well they'll have good internet, for starters.

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#167
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does any of that have to do with launching satellites and distributing radio bandwidth, both of which need regulation in order to provide safety for the masses?

I'm sorry, but it's completely self evident. The point was that the natural right to perform/produce a service/product should be the null hypothesis (as opposed to government removing that right and granting it at their discretion) in any such case; and while on the extremes the answers may seem obvious (launching communication satellites vs braiding hair), it's often not always so. Finally, I concluded that people s…

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Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get decent 4G internet plans already in most parts of the world. While this will have better coverage of rural areas, mobile internet is very adequate for the van lifestyle.

Imagine living on a cruise ship though!

Imagine traveling on planes all the time!

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can get decent 4G internet plans already in most parts of the world. While this will have better coverage of rural areas, mobile internet is very adequate for the van lifestyle.

You should read some RV forums for the hoops they need to jump through to get coverage, and deal with data caps

I'm doing it (mobile internet, not van life). The conversations on RV forums deal with stuff like unlimited data in the middle of Wyoming for less money, or how to get a SIM card and plan from a connected car device that AT&T discontinued because RVers were using for other than it's intended purpose.

What the RVers are too cheap to do is pay for the product they want. Go to unlimitedville.com, pay $200 a month, and you have unlimited LTE in every city you travel to. If you want the best mobile internet you have to pay for it.

Re: FCC Authorizes SpaceX to Provide Broadband Satellite Services

#170

As a hiker who likes to spend many nights camping out in the remote wilderness, this will be a blessing but also a curse. I'll be able to stay connected to family and friends, and have emergency services and information available if necessary, but at the same time I'll have Hacker News and Reddit distractions - but inevitably this is the way the future will be, so it's time to get used to it. At least when going on a…

Besides, this is gonna have big impact for ppl who travel on planes frequently!

You know how how much i desire internet connection everytime i travel long distance flights.

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