from the bandwidth-fading-in-and-out dept.
SpaceX gets U.S. regulator to back satellite internet plan
Elon Musk's SpaceX, fresh off the successful launch this month of the world's most powerful rocket, won an endorsement on Wednesday from the top U.S. communications regulator to build a broadband network using satellites.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai proposed the approval of an application by SpaceX to provide broadband services using satellites in the United States and worldwide. "Satellite technology can help reach Americans who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach," Pai said in a statement.
SpaceX told the FCC in a Feb. 1 letter that it plans to launch a pair of experimental satellites on one of its Falcon 9 rockets. That launch, already approved by the FCC, is set for Saturday in California. The rocket will carry the PAZ satellite for Hisdesat of Madrid, Spain and multiple smaller secondary payloads.
Previously: SpaceX to Launch Broadband Satellites With Latency as Low as 25ms in 2019
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SpaceX today said its planned constellation of 4,425 broadband satellites will launch from the Falcon 9 rocket beginning in 2019 and continue launching in phases until reaching full capacity in 2024.
SpaceX gave the Senate Commerce Committee an update on its satellite plans during a broadband infrastructure hearing this morning via testimony by VP of satellite government affairs Patricia Cooper. Satellite Internet access traditionally suffers from high latency, relatively slow speeds, and strict data caps. But as we reported in November, SpaceX says it intends to solve these problems with custom-designed satellites launched into low-Earth orbits.
SpaceX mentioned 2019 as a possible launch date in an application filed with the Federal Communications Commission in November and offered a more specific launch timeline today.
-- submitted from IRC
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 17 2018, @06:07AM (2 children)
Will there be a stupid captive portal that redirects you pretty please to buy internet access but spacex.com is always free. Gonna stretch that loophole wide open like a goatse anus. Free internet worldwide, bitches. Elon suck my fucking cock.
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 17 2018, @06:09AM (1 child)
I see, I see it! I twisted my head sideways and I can finally see it! The Tower! I see it! It has given me insights that are incomprehensible to lesser beings such as yourselves! For instance, I know that the feces baby in your rancid rectal womb has just given birth to another feces baby, and that this is all thanks to my cockpoles raping its egg! My fetid little friend just licked its chops.
Some seem's it's time for a violation...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 17 2018, @06:19AM
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=horsssnQ14I [youtube.com]
(Score: 0, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday February 17 2018, @07:47AM
After so stupidly spending $7 trillion in the Middle East, it is now time to start investing in OUR Country! For too long, our cities & states have waited for a responsible partner. Instead our federal government has been in the business of OBSTRUCTION. No more!!!! #InfrastructurePlan [twitter.com]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by stretch611 on Saturday February 17 2018, @12:04PM
It would be nice if this can actually work out. I hope to see more competition in internet access. Anything to get rid of those overpriced telecommunication companies that fight competition by bribing politicians to write laws that favor them,
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P
(Score: 2) by chromas on Sunday February 18 2018, @02:41AM
Noice!
Ah oh!
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday February 19 2018, @03:39PM
I'm really hoping this new satellite internet access will be great. I was looking at satellite internet providers recently, because I was curious. The internet cap was pretty low when compared to the 300GB cap I have on my point-to-point wireless. Here's hoping they are a viable option for people that are in my position. Rural, not great access, but not horrible access. I'm sure they'll probably sweep up all of the crazy middle of nowhere places. I'm just not so sure they can compete with point-to-point wireless.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"