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SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

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Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#221
post #215

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

In all your anti-american rambling, you are ignoring that SpaceX isn't the only company doing this. > Other operators include the London-based OneWeb, which has launched 74 of what it hopes will be a gigantic fleet of 48,000 satellites

It's not anti-American rambling. As I said in my other comment I'm aware of other companies doing the same. Although an American company will be first, with clearance from the American government.

I'm more drawn to the fact that the American government can greenlight this, even though it has global implications.

These things will also impact astronomy in Argentina. Where can they lodge a complaint? They will impact the night sky in Europe, yet we have no say in American government or decision making.

I can understand this has never been a problem because no one has ever been planning to launch 14,000 sats! But within 10 - 15 year maybe 3 or 4 companies might do it. Then we have 50,000 sats in LEO.

Will this be worth it? And if so, who weighs these pro's and cons? Just one government?

Feels like we're running headfirst into a new world where no one has thought of the consequences yet.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#222

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

The US is terrible when it comes to infrastructure. Sweden is similar to France here, expanding fiber internet to all households that want it even if they are rural. Someone mentioned Norway as a reply but I think it's an unfair comparison as Norway will have more trouble building this infrastructure since there is mountains everywhere.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#223

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

I'm French too. France is tiny. It is not about the number of bakery you have but how far your are from the closest medium size city.

Also, the satellite are not geostationary above the US. They rotate above the Earth and will bring the internet everywhere... Bringing internet to everyone in the World is nothing to sneeze at.

(I agree with the last bit of the rant. It sucks that private companies can launch whatever they want in space. That is not specific to the US however.)

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#224
post #201

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

But are all villages in France like that? I doubt it. Even in Norway there are thousands of people without access to sufficiently fast broadband, and some 80k DSL customers who apparently will never get fiber at all. The proposed solution for the latter is to use 4G/5G, which comes with its own issues of course. I'd say even in well developed countries, Starlink is a nice option to have. As I understand it, the 42Mbp…

Yes I think all French villages have at least super fast ADSL.

The US is much larger than France of course, but whatever the reason, it's incredible and really upsetting that they can pollute the earth like this, and for the rest of eternity, just to solve a temporary domestic problem.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#225
post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But are all villages in France like that? I doubt it. Even in Norway there are thousands of people without access to sufficiently fast broadband, and some 80k DSL customers who apparently will never get fiber at all. The proposed solution for the latter is to use 4G/5G, which comes with its own issues of course. I'd say even in well developed countries, Starlink is a nice option to have. As I understand it, the 42Mbp…

Eventually everyone is going to get connected, yes. I mean someone in Norway also had to draw a powerline to these people, to use electricity. Why not draw a fiber link, too? It's just part of infrastructure. I'm not saying that Starlink isn't useful. I'm just really wondering what the implications for astronomy are going to be, whether we will always see these things at dusk. Now it's Starlink, but what if 3 or 4 co…

> I'm just really wondering what the implications for astronomy are going to be

More space based telescopes?

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the flip side, why should the majority of us in denser areas in the US subsidize people who want to live in exurbs/rural areas? If you want to live in a place like that, be prepared to pay the cost for the infrastructure. We already pay enough subsidies for roads, water, power, etc in rural/exurban areas.

I'm healthy but I pay for those who are not. I grew up fine but I pay for those with special needs. I have a job during Covid but I pay for those who don't. I guess in Europe we call this 'society'.

Europeans really barely understand the US. Yes, of course, we understand how investing in communities makes a society work. What Europeans don’t understand is just how fucking huge the US is and how low-density huge swaths of the country are. Farmers might live 500 miles from a metro of 100,000 people. It’s a huge challenge to give everyone fiber without the 1% of hyper rural America doubling costs for everyone else.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#227

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

On the flip side, why should the majority of us in denser areas in the US subsidize people who want to live in exurbs/rural areas? If you want to live in a place like that, be prepared to pay the cost for the infrastructure. We already pay enough subsidies for roads, water, power, etc in rural/exurban areas.

Because that's what a country is.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the flip side, why should the majority of us in denser areas in the US subsidize people who want to live in exurbs/rural areas? If you want to live in a place like that, be prepared to pay the cost for the infrastructure. We already pay enough subsidies for roads, water, power, etc in rural/exurban areas.

I'm healthy but I pay for those who are not. I grew up fine but I pay for those with special needs. I have a job during Covid but I pay for those who don't. I guess in Europe we call this 'society'.

I vot for calling it civilization.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#229

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

We are working with a county in West Virginia that is 2 hours by car from Washington DC. 2 hours! The school officials have decided to do remote schooling. Fully 50% of the students have no internet at all. Another 30% have internet that is incapable of remote. You might say that they're too poor. And that is part of it. But there are plenty of people with lots of money in DC and the surrounding area that would be in…

West Virginia is a bit cherry-picked, it is by far the most systemically poor state in the mid-Atlantic, and it’s got immense infrastructure challenges due to the mountains. I sympathize with those people, but the vast majority of the US is doing better.

Re: SpaceX Starlink average speedtest is 42.3Mbps down / 9.7 Mbps up

#230

So I guess companies will now fill the entire global sky with thousands of sats just to make up for the fact that the US government ignores rural houses when it comes to digital infrastructure? I'm sorry but how is 42Mbps worth spamming the entire nightsky with to the point that it prevent astronomers from obtaining useful data? Not even 10Mbps upload? My inlaws live in a village in France that has 70 people total. I…

Sad this is the top comment.

Can you elaborate why you find this sad? Do you disagree with the opinion in the comment?
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