this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2023
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SpaceX blasts FCC as it refuses to reinstate Starlink’s $886 million grant::FCC doubts ability to provide high-speed, low-latency service in all grant areas.

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[–] nixcamic@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago (4 children)

On one hand, ew Elon Musk.

On the other hand Starlink has given us the first decent internet we've ever had so...

[–] variaatio@sopuli.xyz 21 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

However this isn't about your anecdotal experience. This is about what level of service they can guarantee as minimum and overall to meet the conditions of the subsidy.

I would also note this isn't reinstatement matter. FCC refused to give them the subsidy in the first place with this decision. What SpaceX are trying to spin as reneg on previous decision is them making the short list of companies to be considered. Well, getting short listed is not same as being selected fully.

They passed the criterion for the short list check, but the final authorization and selection included more wide and more through checking on the promises of companies to meet criterion and SpaceX failed the more through final round of scrutiny before being awarded the subsidy.

Government having awarded bad money previously isn't fixed by following up bad awards with more bad awards. SpaceX exactly failed since previously money was handed out too losely and FCC has tightened the scrutiny on subsidy awards to not follow up bad money with more bad money.

Nobody is prevented from buying Starlink, this just means Starlink isn't getting subsidized with tax payer money.

[–] Fades@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The more people that use starlink the slower and less usable it becomes, additionally phony stark can turn it off whenever he sees fit.

Good luck with that

[–] nixcamic@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

In theory they're gonna keep upgrading the network, they've been constantly launching new and better satellites since launch. Also yeah in theory they can turn it off but that's such an odd hypothetical that who cares. In theory our old ISP could also do that.

The fastest we could get before was 10mpbs and it went out multiple times a day, sometimes for hours. I really doubt it'll get that bad.

And if Starlink does die we just go back to our old garbage or hopefully someone else will have a functional LEO constellation by then.

[–] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

“In theory”?

He did turn it off in an effort to influence the Ukraine/Russia conflict.

[–] nixcamic@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/12/elon-musk-biographer-admits-suggestion-spacex-head-blocked-ukraine-drone-attack-was-wrong

The original source of that claim retracted his statement...

But yeah, like I said he could shut it off at any time, but I don't see how that's why different that the idiot who owns our local ISP and could also shut it off at any time.

[–] Acters@lemmy.world 11 points 9 months ago

cable companies literally took a billion dollar grant to expand infrastructure and didnt do much of anything. This is literally doing something. F elon but the engineers who worked hard to make this a reality deserve better

[–] Vex_Detrause@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 months ago

It looked so promising but I feel like once I fell in love with the service they will start enshitification. Like Gmail, maps, pixel phones, YouTube, g-drive. Etc...