Considering funding the dark side… any Starlink subscribers?

[billanole]

Our internet in the sticks is insufferably slow and glitchy. We pay $49.99 for net and $10 for not also getting cable thru the provider. = $59.99 for really slow service.
While not an Elon fan, we are looking for an alternative. Over the years we have tried to get other satellite service, but nothing is available in our area. No pic daughter and her man have the Starlink and it is muuuch faster. They have the mini that they use at home and can travel with in the camper.
I would likely not get the mini and be paying $120/month vs. $59.99. What is a musk hater to do?

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Go with the best service.

 

[Flie]

I have co-workers using starlink and they like it.

The bandwidth is lowish but adequate and the latency is decently low for being satellite based.

Usually any modern land-based internet service will be better so I'm surprised your service is so terrible.

 

[seminole97]

I have co-workers using starlink and they like it.

The bandwidth is lowish but adequate and the latency is decently low for being satellite based.

Usually any modern land-based internet service will be better so I'm surprised your service is so terrible.

He’s in the boonies.

 

[Whiskeydeltadeltatango]

Neighbors went with it, and they like it.

 

[billanole]

I have co-workers using starlink and they like it.

The bandwidth is lowish but adequate and the latency is decently low for being satellite based.

Usually any modern land-based internet service will be better so I'm surprised your service is so terrible.

We are in a rural area with few peeps per mile and only a smallish company will step up to serve us.
Lots of the country and world are in similar straits, tho plenty don’t realize it.

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

My buddy uses it at his campsite. He said he recently had an Iowa football game going and 13 people signed in and there were no issues for him.

 

[theiacowtipper]

I assume cellular data is not an option for you?

 

[billanole]

I assume cellular data is not an option for you?

Are you suggesting a hotspot or similar? We have Verizon for cell and data, but it is weak.
I need better internet service.

 

[thewop]

Subscribed on a cruise ship for 1 day to watch a football game. $27

 

[BelemNole]

There should be a rural broadband plan being reviewed by your county, but it may takes years to implement. Do what you have to in the interim.

 

[billanole]

There should be a rural broadband plan being reviewed by your county, but it may takes years to implement. Do what you have to in the interim.

Yeah, I wish our region would look to the Chattanooga, TN model. Don’t have time to link, but they have done a good job of implementation of broad band.

 

[seminole97]

I assume cellular data is not an option for you?

Not sure if you’ve seen the news, but cell service was largely wiped out in that area too.

In just a few years Starlink will be working with a mobile phone.

 

[DogBoyRy]

Our internet in the sticks is insufferably slow and glitchy. We pay $49.99 for net and $10 for not also getting cable thru the provider. = $59.99 for really slow service.
While not an Elon fan, we are looking for an alternative. Over the years we have tried to get other satellite service, but nothing is available in our area. No pic daughter and her man have the Starlink and it is muuuch faster. They have the mini that they use at home and can travel with in the camper.
I would likely not get the mini and be paying $120/month vs. $59.99. What is a musk hater to do?

I have two coworkers who have it and love it.

 

[ZachJump]

I have had if for a few years...love it. Have never had an outage, never a speed problem, many times with 8 plus devices streaming once

 

[Flie]

We are in a rural area with few peeps per mile and only a smallish company will step up to serve us.
Lots of the country and world are in similar straits, tho plenty don’t realize it.

Yeah that's the situation with the people I know. They live in remote rural areas where if they get wired coverage, it's terrible.

 

[billanole]

Yeah that's the situation with the people I know. They live in remote rural areas where if they get wired coverage, it's terrible.

There is a pretty big funding push upcoming in our region to expand broad band.
The service is often pitiful or non-existent. So many kids in these areas are truly “at risk” when the schools go distance learning. They have no access.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

My buddy uses it at his campsite. He said he recently had an Iowa football game going and 13 people signed in and there were no issues for him.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Any revenue from Starlink will go to funding Mars exploration. Funding humanity reaching for the stars. You should be proud not feel guilty.

 

[ZachJump]

There is a pretty big funding push upcoming in our region to expand broad band.
The service is often pitiful or non-existent. So many kids in these areas are truly “at risk” when the schools go distance learning. They have no access.

The local service where I live is wireless. First house I was renting it was good enough....when I moved and bought it was trash. Outages every night from like 6 to 8, slow downs, etc.

Got on the waiting list for Starlink. Not cheap, but worth it.

From the time I opened the box to the time I had Internet through it took about 5 minutes.

 

[seminole97]

There should be a rural broadband plan being reviewed by your county, but it may takes years to implement. Do what you have to in the interim.

Like getting on the waiting list for a Trabant.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Also funding this

 

[billanole]

There should be a rural broadband plan being reviewed by your county, but it may takes years to implement. Do what you have to in the interim.

Thanks for input all, I ordered the dish with expected delivery in 1-2 weeks. Maybe the roads will cooperate.
Hurricane special was $200 discount and 30 days free service,
Well, OK den.

 

[seminole97]

Thanks for input all, I ordered the dish with expected delivery in 1-2 weeks. Maybe the roads will cooperate.
Hurricane special was $200 discount and 30 days free service,
Well, OK den.

You sure you don't want to wait a few more years and see what the FCC has approved for you?

 

[billanole]

You sure you don't want to wait a few more years and see what the FCC has approved for you?

?

 

[Mister_Man]

Thanks for input all, I ordered the dish with expected delivery in 1-2 weeks. Maybe the roads will cooperate.
Hurricane special was $200 discount and 30 days free service,
Well, OK den.

The price has decreased since 2022 - it used to be 500 for equipment and 100 a month.

 

[Colonoscopy]

Have Starlink mini. Took it on a camping trip across country. Did great. Usually 60 plus MB/s and no issues with streaming or work, minus interruptions to VPN or conference call when it's switching satellites.

 

[seminole97]

?

This month old article touches on it:

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/04/biden-broadband-program-swing-state-frustrations-00175845

President Joe Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law promised to help Virginia expand broadband internet to hard-to-reach corners of the commonwealth — investing nearly $1.5 billion to improve a key service across a swing state crucial to Democrats’ hopes in the November election.
But so far, Virginia, like many states, hasn’t seen a cent of that money put to use. The state got news only in July that it was approved for funding — more than 10 months after completing its application to Washington, and nearly three years after the law was signed.

 

[Hawki97]

Good luck. I know two people with it. One wants to give Elon a beej as hard as phenomenally does the service is so good. The other wants to shove the satellite up Elon’s ass.

 

[ericram]

One of my buddies threw in his remote dish for tailgating.

He went with starlink. 599 in equipment and what ever monthly fee. He can start or stop it at any time. Small footprint.

I am not a fan of funding Elon to help the Russians, but there are really not many great choices.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

Good luck. I know two people with it. One wants to give Elon a beej as hard as phenomenally does the service is so good. The other wants to shove the satellite up Elon’s ass.

It’s possible “The other” has a faulty unit or has an obstructed service area somehow. Have they attempted a warranty return or replacement?

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

One of my buddies threw in his remote dish for tailgating.

He went with starlink. 599 in equipment and what ever monthly fee. He can start or stop it at any time. Small footprint.

I am not a fan of funding Elon to help the Russians, but there are really not many great choices.

Elon does not “help the Russians.” A lot of disinformation out there.

SpaceX has a contract with the US Military called “Starshield.” Look it up. SpaceX and Musk get vetted / cleared by the Defense department every year.

 

[ericram]

Elon does not “help the Russians.” A lot of disinformation out there.

SpaceX has a contract with the US Military called “Starshield.” Look it up. SpaceX and Musk get vetted / cleared by the Defense department every year.

So let's follow this line of thinking. Now stick with me. If you don't recall I am pretty close with many Ukrainians. I will be moving there in a few weeks. My information might be more up to date and accurate than yours.

Still with me? Several Russian drones were shot down in the north east region of Ukraine. Those drones had Starlink on them. Not some war modified versions but the actual new out of the box system.

 

[Phenomenally Frantastic]

So let's follow this line of thinking. Now stick with me. If you don't recall I am pretty close with many Ukrainians. I will be moving there in a few weeks. My information might be more up to date and accurate than yours.

Still with me? Several Russian drones were shot down in the north east region of Ukraine. Those drones had Starlink on them. Not some war modified versions but the actual new out of the box system.

How do you believe the Russians obtained those units? What’s your theory?

 

[seminole97]

So let's follow this line of thinking. Now stick with me. If you don't recall I am pretty close with many Ukrainians. I will be moving there in a few weeks. My information might be more up to date and accurate than yours.

Still with me? Several Russian drones were shot down in the north east region of Ukraine. Those drones had Starlink on them. Not some war modified versions but the actual new out of the box system.

These are both a year old, but you can find tons of these articles:

LeMonde

War in Ukraine: Hundreds of western electronic components found in Russian weapons​

According to a report, most of the components found in Russian weapons in Ukraine were manufactured by 155 foreign companies. Two-thirds of these were American.


Kiev School of Economics
We analyzed 174 foreign components retrieved from Shahed 136/131, Lancet, and Orlan-10 drones in Ukraine. Despite import substitution efforts, the Russian military still heavily relies on foreign-made components, particularly microelectronics. Notably, 69% of these components originate from U.S.-owned companies.

 

[ericram]

How do you believe the Russians obtained those units? What’s your theory?

How do you think they did?

 

[ericram]

These are both a year old, but you can find tons of these articles:

LeMonde

War in Ukraine: Hundreds of western electronic components found in Russian weapons​

According to a report, most of the components found in Russian weapons in Ukraine were manufactured by 155 foreign companies. Two-thirds of these were American.


Kiev School of Economics
We analyzed 174 foreign components retrieved from Shahed 136/131, Lancet, and Orlan-10 drones in Ukraine. Despite import substitution efforts, the Russian military still heavily relies on foreign-made components, particularly microelectronics. Notably, 69% of these components originate from U.S.-owned companies.

Not understanding the point here. Are you saying other companies are selling US components to Russia?

 

[ericram]

These are both a year old, but you can find tons of these articles:

LeMonde

War in Ukraine: Hundreds of western electronic components found in Russian weapons​

According to a report, most of the components found in Russian weapons in Ukraine were manufactured by 155 foreign companies. Two-thirds of these were American.


Kiev School of Economics
We analyzed 174 foreign components retrieved from Shahed 136/131, Lancet, and Orlan-10 drones in Ukraine. Despite import substitution efforts, the Russian military still heavily relies on foreign-made components, particularly microelectronics. Notably, 69% of these components originate from U.S.-owned companies.

Components are one thing. You can't just obtain a kit, turn it on and connect to several satellites to make starlink work. You need the access.

 

[billanole]

This month old article touches on it:

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/04/biden-broadband-program-swing-state-frustrations-00175845

President Joe Biden’s 2021 infrastructure law promised to help Virginia expand broadband internet to hard-to-reach corners of the commonwealth — investing nearly $1.5 billion to improve a key service across a swing state crucial to Democrats’ hopes in the November election.
But so far, Virginia, like many states, hasn’t seen a cent of that money put to use. The state got news only in July that it was approved for funding — more than 10 months after completing its application to Washington, and nearly three years after the law was signed.

Joe was just building on drump’s intrastructure week, ya dig? I wonder why the invisible economic hand hasn’t provided better internet service to all American citizens? Costs? Little profit? Hassle?

Your bait post about waiting on the FCC ignores that massive acreage in the US is sparsely settled and will never attract the invisible hand to provide services.
Those citizens deserve services. The IRA is a step in that direction.

 

[seminole97]

Not understanding the point here. Are you saying other companies are selling US components to Russia?

I'm saying Russia has setup lots of ways to buy things overseas and get them into Russia.

The idea that Musk is working for the Russians when has forbids the sale there and has donated thousands of terminals and free service for months to Ukraine is amazingly incongruent.

On February 26, the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov asked Elon Musk on Twitter to provide Starlink assistance to Ukraine. Musk agreed, and SpaceX responded by activating country-wide service, with the first shipment of Starlink terminals arriving two days later on February 28.
By 6 April 2022, SpaceX had sent 5000 Starlink terminals. 3667 or 73% of those were donated by SpaceX, which also removed the monthly service fees, while USAID had purchased the balance of the terminals. By mid August 2022, Ukraine internet service was being provided by more than 20,000 Starlink terminals.
In early 2023, SpaceX made a deal with the US and European governments to pay for another 100,000 new satellite dishes to Ukraine. In February 2023, Ukrainian minister Mykhailo Fedorov called Musk "one of the biggest private donors of [Ukraine's] future victory," estimating SpaceX's contributions at the time as over $100 million.