Starlink

[rekees4300]

New SpaceX launch: Starlink closes in on 800 internet-beaming satellite target for US service | ZDNet

60 more satellites launched.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

So 11,200 more to launch. I think the Star Ship will be able to deploy many more per launch.

I was thankfully when the human payload arrived at the ISS the other week.

 

[riptides]

Seems Mr. Musk is now in battle win mode with the FCC about his project. They seem to have gotten approval to bid on rural subsidy actions.

Good for all.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Seems Mr. Musk is now in battle win mode with the FCC about his project. They seem to have gotten approval to bid on rural subsidy actions.

Good for all.

Coronavirus Response | Rural Development

Awesome I did not know that program existed.

 

[rekees4300]

SpaceX Opens Starlink Internet Beta Test To The Public: SpaceX Opens Starlink Internet Beta Test To The Public

KEY POINTS:

-> SpaceX has opened the registration for Starlink's beta test
-> The beta test will be available in selected regions
-> SpaceX might launch Starlink's Internet service later this year

To be a beta tester and get updates on Starlink news and service availability in your area: Starlink

Hopefully Indiana is covered for beta testing and I'll be selected but it's doubtfully within higher latitudes. I signed up and got this email.


"Thank you for your interest in Starlink!

Starlink is designed to deliver high speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable. Private beta testing is expected to begin later this summer, followed by public beta testing, starting with higher latitudes.

If you provided us with your zip code, you will be notified via email if beta testing opportunities become available in your area. In the meantime, we will continue to share with you updates about general service availability and upcoming Starlink launches."

 

[kf4uda]

Thanks for the link rekees. I signed up and got the same email.

 

[newbury]

But for beta you need to be high.
Latitude

These beta tests will begin in "high latitudes," including the northern United States and Canada. In answer to a tweeted question, Musk said Germany counts as a high latitude as well.

from Elon Musk'''s Starlink Satellite Internet Service Might Be Available in November​ | Inc.com

 

[MAD777]

I signed up with my zip code, but have not received email notification that I'm eligible. I'm in Northern New Hampshire. I wish because we are rural and struggle for internet access which is both unreliable and expensive here.

 

[rekees4300]

I signed up with my zip code, but have not received email notification that I'm eligible. I'm in Northern New Hampshire. I wish because we are rural and struggle for internet access which is both unreliable and expensive here.

Speculation, they probably won't be notifying anybody about public beta testing until the private beta phase results are known? Their email said "Private beta testing is expected to begin later this summer, followed by public beta testing, starting with higher latitudes." By "private" I assume they are referring to Starlink's employees and/or independent contractors.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

We know the Air Force has done some early system testing of Starlink. I too expect the private beta testers will be like engineers and stake holders.

 

[TractorGuy]

I think the last thing anyone would want is a Government regulated Program for broadband. It's not regulated now and God help us if it ever is. There seems to be a lot of myth's and inconsistencies posted on this thread. I would suggest everyone educate themselves on what ISP's are and are not required to do. The CAF project is designed to get HSI to people that in the past haven't been able to get it before or to upgrade current infrastructure. It isn't designed to get fiber and 1 gig speeds to every Podunk town and home in Rural America. If you need those things then it would be a good idea to move or wait for StarLink. I hope StarLink is a success. Then maybe everyone will quit bitching about this provider or that provider. You should have really thought these things through before you moved, I know I did. But then again, what's important to some isn't important at all to other's.

I did a lot of reading on this a few years back and at that time it appeared the intent was to pass high speed internet to depressed areas that didn't have access. At that time it showed the backbone passing within 3 miles of my property but bypassing my county altogether.

Now looking at the map and amounts awarded it looks like Centurylink got $10,916,673 out of the deal and has done nothing to improve the infrastructure in my rural area. That amount seems to be for the whole state of Florida so it's a drop in the bucket of what it would cost to do upgrades.

 

[rekees4300]

"New photos appear to show Elon Musk's 'UFO on a stick' device that will connect users to SpaceX's fleet of Starlink internet satellites"

Photos may show a SpaceX "UFO on stick" satellite dish for Starlink - Business Insider

Article has this interesting tidbit of info re consumer subscription cost. Phased-array antenna components cost about $1,500, though Musk wants to sell customers a "UFO on a stick" for about $200 to $300.

 

[lman]

I did a lot of reading on this a few years back and at that time it appeared the intent was to pass high speed internet to depressed areas that didn't have access. At that time it showed the backbone passing within 3 miles of my property but bypassing my county altogether.

Now looking at the map and amounts awarded it looks like Centurylink got $10,916,673 out of the deal and has done nothing to improve the infrastructure in my rural area. That amount seems to be for the whole state of Florida so it's a drop in the bucket of what it would cost to do upgrades.

Centurylink took the CAF2 money here and put a pedestal closer to me here. They initially told me I would get faster speed after my connection was moved to the new pedestal. They then told me that I would stay at the same speed. They told me that I was the only customer connected to the new pedestal, because there was no benefit to change as there was no increase to the speed. Can somebody tell me why they put the new pedestal in? I assume to justify raking in the tax money.

 

[newbury]

I did a lot of reading on this a few years back and at that time it appeared the intent was to pass high speed internet to depressed areas that didn't have access. At that time it showed the backbone passing within 3 miles of my property but bypassing my county altogether.

Now looking at the map and amounts awarded it looks like Centurylink got $10,916,673 out of the deal and has done nothing to improve the infrastructure in my rural area. That amount seems to be for the whole state of Florida so it's a drop in the bucket of what it would cost to do upgrades.

It's all in politics and the $$. About fifteen or so years ago they ran fiber down next to the major highways around here in NE Ms. It ended up being not used for a decade or so. I've fiber running in front of one of my properties but they won't tap into it. About 2 years ago there was a big money dump for "high speed internet" but part of the problem is that they didn't want to wipe out the small local companies. So right now we've got the local telephone company burying fiber and the local power company stringing new fiber down the same roads to grab customers. And so far it's where people had good access already. Meanwhile I and probably thousands of others sit less than a hundred yards off where they have fiber and the plans don't include us.
And I get (or am supposed to get) 7 Mbps down, 0.8 up with their base package ($40/mo). The base fiber package is 100Mbps both ways for $50/mo.

I often can't stream a movie but even worse my security cams can't upload if I have more than 4 online.

 

[Jchonline]

It was ridiculous to think rural areas would ever get 塗ard wired internet in any capacity. What business wants to run 2 miles of cable to pick up 5 customers? None. It makes no sense. Starlink makes perfect sense...pulling it off is another thing entirely. Fingers crossed. Until then you best bet in rural areas is cellular and preferrably directional antennas with clear line of site to the tower.

 

[kcflhrc]

Centurylink took the CAF2 money here and put a pedestal closer to me here. They initially told me I would get faster speed after my connection was moved to the new pedestal. They then told me that I would stay at the same speed. They told me that I was the only customer connected to the new pedestal, because there was no benefit to change as there was no increase to the speed. Can somebody tell me why they put the new pedestal in? I assume to justify raking in the tax money.

A pedestal is just a splice point with the inbound cable spliced to the outbound cable. If they put in a CAF Unit they might have wired it out to the new pedestal and put you into the CAF unit to get you off of the old DSL. We/they just don't put in pedestals to put them in, there is some justification. Could have been a bad section of cable, who knows. And just to be clear, the FED's are the ones that tell the Telco's where to put the devices when there is CAF $$$$ involved.

 

[riptides]

It was ridiculous to think rural areas would ever get å¡—ard wired internet in any capacity. What business wants to run 2 miles of cable to pick up 5 customers? None. It makes no sense. Starlink makes perfect sense...pulling it off is another thing entirely. Fingers crossed. Until then you best bet in rural areas is cellular and preferrably directional antennas with clear line of site to the tower.

I am sure that same mindset was in place when Ma Bell ran copper for telephones a while back.

 

[MAD777]

I am sure that same mindset was in place when Ma Bell ran copper for telephones a while back.

Here in New Hampshire, I had to pay for the electricity even to run a line up my street to the house. Since I paid for it, I should own it, right? But NO! If someone else builds along the street, they get to tap into the "exiting" line for free. It's a public street, by the way.
I'm all for Starlink. It just makes sense and will not be hindered with all the shenanigans, such as those we been posting about.
My only choice for phone & internet are off AT&T cellular modem. Not only is it twice as expensive as basic cable (if I could get it) but service is unreliable. I'm at the fringe of the range, plus in the mountains. No line of sight South to conventional satellite TV. No phone lines on my street.
Now let's hope the government stays out of the way for progress!

 

[deserteagle71]

Now let's hope the government stays out of the way for progress!

Good luck with that. We can only hope!

 

[lman]

A pedestal is just a splice point with the inbound cable spliced to the outbound cable. If they put in a CAF Unit they might have wired it out to the new pedestal and put you into the CAF unit to get you off of the old DSL. We/they just don't put in pedestals to put them in, there is some justification. Could have been a bad section of cable, who knows. And just to be clear, the FED's are the ones that tell the Telco's where to put the devices when there is CAF $$$$ involved.

One of the techs told me that they thought that they had run fiber to the new mini dslam(pedestal) and they later found out that there was no fiber. I'm not sure he knew what he was talking about as it doesn't seem to make any sense to put a new dslam in that is not fed by fiber. The only reason that I was moved to the new unit is because the centurylink website changed and showed that I could now get 20 Mb with the new hardware. They wound up hooking me up at 15 Mb instead of the 10 that I previously had. I lost connection about six months after the speed increase and they then said that I could only get 10. I had been having good speed at the 15 Mb service and tests were consistently 15. I told them that the problem was obviously down the road and I did not want my speed dropped. They dropped it anyway without my permission and I still had no service. A day later somebody got in the new mini dslam and discovered that a tech had been in the unit and left something disconnected. The tech told me that my speed could have changed where it was. In the meantime because of my speed change(decrease), my price for life went up $15. The tech then told me that the new mini dslam was not installed right and so it will only be used by me since it won't increase the speed for any nearby customers. Seems like a bunch of kangaroo techs to me. The contractors working for Centurylink should be working at Mcdonalds. Any ideas why they put in the new mini dslam? It doesn't seem to be benefiting anybody. In fact my pings are a little bit higher.