first echoes on bitrates with beta

Darvador wrote:

Finnegan wrote:

chriscombs wrote:

This kind of project is “useless” and may eventually prohibit access to the space. Risk of collision too high and impossible to observe the sky because of it. Governments should ban these launches.

In wealthy countries, only rural Americans (who often pay more than $ 100 for their internet subscription) might be interested. The price of the subscription will probably be 60/80 $, which means that it is not competitive compared to French fiber at 30 €. Intersidereal bide in sight, except in countries where the Internet is very expensive (but in general, they cannot afford a subscription). Without forgetting the upload at 0 Mb on certain speedtests … For rural areas, a 4G Box seems to me much more relevant while waiting for fiber.

I don’t think they target countries like France but the white areas of the deserts, steppes, mountains and islands which exist on the majority of the surface of our beautiful planet as well as the countries where the infrastructures are almost non-existent or of quality. insufficient, as in Africa, Asia or South America and even in Europe.
That makes them potential customers.
In addition, the main targets will probably be companies that will no longer hesitate to set up or prospect in a current white zone.
The satellite phone was a big step forward and is still used today despite its very high costs, with the Internet and calls possible via this channel, it could be very interesting for simple voice communications.

The problem with deserts and steppes is that there is no one, not easy to make millions of subscribers in this case. For companies like oil operators, they have already had Iridium for years for satellite access.
A big useless megalo project and tons of garbage in orbit. All this electronic equipment being thrown around for nothing and burning in the atmosphere, at some point we should force ourselves to think about it.

Don’t believe that. A desert or a steppe is big but not empty. I am not saying either that the Inuit, the Bedouins or the Mongols will jump on a subscription, but that a territory coverage that does not need a ground link improves things a lot. It is the possibility of connecting schools, or even creating ones where we thought it was impossible. It facilitates trade in white areas.
I don’t know the costs of Iridium, but chances are it costs less. One techno easily replaces another. Covering the oceans is facilitated.
As for the financing of “subscriptions”, it is possible that states invest more than individuals.
Many questions remain unanswered.

As for the question of the gear sent and the pollution that will be generated, it is clear that it is difficult to endorse as it is and especially without knowledge of the options that are planned, or not, by SpaceX.