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Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by grecy on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @05:18PM (#37576855)
Yes, their plan is to serve the hundreds and hundreds of millions of people around the globe who don't have access to terrestrial gigabit fiber.
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by ancientworldnow on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @05:41PM (#37577196)
Most of that population can't afford Starlink prices.
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by wmf on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @06:07PM (#37577590)
Long term I wonder if they'll encourage sharing terminals. Like a Starlink terminal that's a cellular base station.
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by realusername on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @05:56PM (#37577427)
That's also why I'm suspicious of the long term profitability of the whole thing. Most developed countries where the customers are richer also have some pretty good infrastructure and the rest likely couldn't afford the expensive service.

You are then left with all the exceptions to those general rules and I'm not sure that's enough to cover the very expensive cost of the platform.

Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by wilg on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @05:30PM (#37577028)
I think they will be successful, but it seems like terrestrial internet will always have a significant bandwidth (though not latency) advantage over Starlink.
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by grecy on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @05:35PM (#37577100)
> but it seems like terrestrial internet will always have a significant bandwidth (though not latency) advantage over Starlink.

Starlink was never designed to compete with terrestrial internet in any way.

If you have access to good high speed internet already then Starlink is not for you.

Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by wilg on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @05:42PM (#37577204)
ok
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by pharmakom on Tuesday September 19, 2023 @06:03PM (#37577533)
I thought starlink has poor and inconsistent latency?
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by wilg on Friday September 22, 2023 @03:36PM (#37616672)
theoretically the latency can beat terrestrial fiber through space laser links
Re:SpaceX projected 20M Starlink users by 2022–it ended up w... by Ekaros on Wednesday September 20, 2023 @05:21AM (#37582155)
If they have money to pay, and there is demand from them most of those will get it. Or just get something like 4G/5G.