Elon Musk expects to launch Starlink broadband internet to the world as soon as August

[wiyosaya]

If Tesla is any indication for the quality of products from 'Musk' companies over time, I am also skeptical. They went from high-tech, high-quality, to 'maybe everything will be bolted down correctly' and quietly removing features while acting like they are doing you a favor.

I'm sure the first people into Starlink will have excellent service at spectacular prices. The Musk fanbois will spread the word for free. Then, once enough market share has been captured out in the boonies, the quality will slowly be reduced until you have something comparable to DSL in terms of speed, bandwidth, response times, and data caps - and people will stick with it because, by that point, the other satellite competitors will have died out.

IMO, sounds about right! Musky learned well from M$. They have defeatured things for years and called it better.

 

[wiyosaya]

In answer to your questions. Yes, for the majority of the area and population covered by this ISP, $100 is very cheap, relatively and also absolutely (with a shared connection).

And are we sure that Musky will not look down on a shared connection? Maybe he allows it for now to get users on his hook, but I bet that at some point he will crack down on it. Companies that tolerated "shared" services have at least made an attempt at cracking down on them - I am specifically thinking Netflix.

Musky, so far, has been all about hooking users, IMO.

 

[wiyosaya]

That is indeed far better than existing satellite services, we just need to know how long it can both

1) Expand so much
2) Keep the plan prices reasonable
3) Maintain a decent service level

I am slightly skeptical they can keep up with 1 through 3 without any issues but hey, if anyone has enough money to lose truckloads of for years before it can turn a profit it's Musk.

IMO, given that Musky's money is mostly because of his stock holdings, I do not think that is saying much. At $100/mo per subscriber plus equipment costs, which - the equipment costs, IMO, are not exactly cheap, I bet he is planning on the windfall he gets from his herd. I am glad I no longer have the problem of getting my internet from Spectrum as another, highly competitive ISP is finally in our area with reliable, no BS service.

If the decrease in popularity of Satellite TV is any indication, I have to wonder just how long Starlink will last.

 

[captaincranky]

Musky, so far, has been all about hooking users, IMO.

Moreover, deluding them into believing he is their hero.

 

[captaincranky]

Some people must just love kissing Musky's behind.

More like worshiping it, if what I've seen here is any indication.

 

[captaincranky]

If the decrease in popularity of Satellite TV is any indication, I have to wonder just how long Starlink will last.

Probably until the Chinese put up an orbital weapons platform, and shoot it down

(Sorry for the triple post, I was going for a point by point response, and ended up with a, "hat trick").

 

[mbrowne5061]

Moreover, deluding them into believing he is their hero.

I think at this point, he is even drinking his own Kool-Aid here. He probably genuinely believes he is some kind of hero to the working class.

 

[Avro Arrow]

To me, this just seems like another form of Satellite Internet. I'm sure it would be useful for people living in the middle of "Sodomy, Nowhere" but for vehicles, I just can't see the attraction. People have smartphones that create WiFi hotspots for that and a concave parabolic dish is the absolute opposite of aerodynamic. I don't really see the point.

 

[captaincranky]

I'm sure it would be useful for people living in the middle of "Sodomy, Nowhere"

Dude, get with the times. Nowadays it's "Sodomy Everywhere USA".

 

[Avro Arrow]

Dude, get with the times. Nowadays it's "Sodomy Everywhere USA".

You sir, are FiretrUCKING AWESOME!

 

[Danny101]

I was out in the middle of nowhere. Got Hughes Net. Not happy. Got a cell booster installed. It beat the Hughes Net hands down. I suppose it's more expensive to run a satellite internet, but it's still isn't great when land based solutions work much better.