Posted on 01/24/2021 7:19:17 AM PST by SmokingJoe
A recent survey has determined that over half of Americans are ready to switch to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. This was despite only 5% of internet subscribers in the United States being connected via satellite today.
The study was conducted by Reviews.org, which asked respondents whether they would consider getting on board with Starlink once the satellite internet service is fully set up. As it turns out, over half of those surveyed stated that they’d be signing up for the Starlink Beta program, despite the $499 cost of the satellite dish and the service’s current $99 per month fee.
Interestingly enough, 55% of the study’s respondents who do not use satellite internet today noted that they would stay with Starlink permanently if the system’s connection was faster, even if its price was higher than their current internet service provider. Over 40% of the respondents also stated that they would stay with Starlink if SpaceX would allow subscribers to make payments on the satellite system instead of an upfront $499 fee.
Average internet costs in the United States today stand at 57.2 Mbps for about $65 per month, which translates to a $1.13 per Mbps rate. Starlink is more expensive at $99 per month, but considering that the system provides average speeds of 103.1 Mbps at its present state, SpaceX’s satellite system is actually cheaper on a per Mbps basis.
What really sets Starlink apart from current internet service providers in the United States is its low latency, which allows the system to perform much closer to what subscribers receive with cable internet. Current Starlink latency averages 39 milliseconds with download speeds of about 79.5 Mbps as of October 2020. This is over three times the best download
(Excerpt) Read more at teslarati.com ...
"Even with SpaceX charging double Musk's early, aspirational price point for the satellite dish and modem, SpaceX is probably losing hundreds of dollars or more every time it ships a Starlink self-install kit to a new subscriber. That's because Starlink’s “UFO on a stick” antenna is no dumb dish. It's a self-pointing, phased array antenna capable of maintaining a connection as a succession of Starlink satellites pass overhead.
Earlier this month, Hughes Network Systems President Pradman Kaul suggested during an EchoStar investor's call that Starlink’s antenna probably costs SpaceX between $1,000 and $1,500 per unit. Analyst Tim Farrar of TMF Associates, told Business Insider he believes the $499 terminal is actually costing SpaceX closer to $1,500 to $2,000 to produce."
https://spacenews.com/news-analysis-spacex-has-a-lot-riding-on-starlinks-499-ufo-on-a-stick/
last night it was raining hard here in Orange county ca, and i didn’t have any problems with directv at all
10 more starlink sats were launched today in a polar orbit.
They once quoted 4-5 satellites in range at any time. That redundancy should help ameliorate any cloud issues.
VantaBlack?
I think I only have the problem when the cloud water mass is tall, dense, and right in the sat line of sight.
Century Link is running fiber forty miles to unserved communities, after the StarLink “writing upon the wall” smacked them in the face.
Steerable beam, similar to the flat-plate radars mounted to the sides of a ship’s superstructure.
Those ground stations may operate in full-duplex mode with ability to form multiple beams, and play a role in the routing of signals between multiple satellites.
I have a huge problem with reception on very windy days
is this going to be under Tesla’s umbrella or a seperate entity?
Sounds like a dish that is wiggling from the winds. Try shaking it by hand and see how much it moves. Maybe the screws have become somewhat loose.
My sister in Minneapolis, MN was paying $65 a month a few years ago for internet only from XFINITY/Comcast. She cancelled.
Their deals today include a 1.2tb cap which is a lot except if you watch tv and movies then it may not be. Price now starts as little as $25/month for 25/mps download and $50/month for 200mbs download speed. I think competition must have happened.
https://www.xfinity.com/learn/internet-service/deals
She now only uses her cell phone from T-Mobile.
T-Mobile gives 50gb then slows down the connection if congested till the congestion is less.
I am in Calif and pay $50 a month for 70mbs download speed with no cap. Up in 2 years from $42
T-Mobile:
No overages or data caps apply on our network. Data prioritization will only be noticeable when you access a congested tower and have used over 50GB of data in a particular billing cycle. You will continue to get unlimited high speed data on your smartphone when you aren’t accessing a congested tower.
Speed up to: ↓60 Mbps and ↑5 Mbps Connection: Cable Setup: $10.00 (Includes activation. Installation is free when you order online.) Modem: $12/mo Data Caps: 200 GB/mo Price: $19.99/mo 1-year promo rate. Regular rate is $29.99.
Now, whether my Mom's is in the "85.8% coverage" of Mom's zip code I do not yet know. But, that deal is looking rather good for her, except that it is a 2 yr contract, and she's 90 y/o! We hope Mom can stay home for another 2 years, but, the odds are way against it. (I wonder if there is a opt out if one becomes deceased?)
I’d imagine Musk is counting on mass production to cut that cost. If he can get half the sort of reduction we’ve seen in LED TV’s, the Starlink project will work out profitably.
Its under SpaceX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuFS0zOwyBg&feature=youtu.be
is spacex publicly traded or is spacex under tesla?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.