Starlink - satellite internet by SpaceX

What are Cities to you?

1 Like

Don’t know what to make of this comment. Cities aren’t in the sky, and I can go away from them to somewhere with far less light pollution. But I can’t go away from satellites

It’s not that I can’t sleep at night because they shine so bright but you can’t reliably observe things anymore because of all the satellites moving in a convoy. It’s not me saying it, it’s astrophotographers and co. See articles linked above

3 Likes

LOL https://youtu.be/i0I-wFTMBCk

The space debris problem is pretty terrifying https://youtu.be/Ctvzf_p0qUA?t=37 but I’m always annoyed that nobody showing a graphical representation of it, seeems to want to explain that the objects are absolutely not to scale - even the satellites that are the size of a VW bus, wouldn’t be identifiable, if they were depicted to scale, in such imagery as at 1:20, 1:48 & 2:13

I reckon there’s a niche for a cleanup operation, using something like a giant fly-paper, grabbing the small to medium debris, over a few orbits, then firing retro rockets to slow down the mass & naturally deorbit _ burn up on the way back down…

It already is.

2 Likes

We need a space bulldozer to clean it up, or maybe i’ve just been watching too much Futurama

1 Like

I got an email to pre-order the service, I don’t need it as got fast enough internet. There’s no way either that I’d be paying the kind of prices they currently want even if I did need a faster connection.

It’s odd, as if you look at the satellite map, there are green satellites over the UK, yet. it is unavailable, I presume they’re just not linked yet

I feel for the person who has to go up and switch them off and switch them on again.

7 Likes

Blowed if I am…:smirk:

1 Like

So I’ve had the email saying “It’s available for beta testers in my area” I just wanted to see who has already got it and is it worth it?

With a hefty £89 a month, I just wanted to see who’s actually purchased it and how have they found it.

Are you able to connect to other Starlink hubs for internet use everywhere?

1 Like

Probably have to push an unfolded paper clip into a tiny hole to reset them

2 Likes
1 Like

This seems reasonable considering DSL will set you back ~40£/month? You can even share it with neighbors and still end up with more bandwidth than what DSL would typically deliver.

Luckily I am in an area now supported by Virgin, but previously I was getting FTTC but due to distance from cabinet managed 23/2 at best.

We are listed as a BT market town so FTTP is coming, but we were listed over a year ago and precisely 0 movement has happened and no one can find out when they want to commence and no roadworks for the next 12 months doesn’t show that changing.

No altnet wants to come to the town of near 20K houses for some reason they want to target areas they already have competition despite the fact they would clean up if they came in.

I’m all for Starlink and if I was still there would have signed up in a heartbeat, yes it’s expensive but internet is essential and having to set a harmony activity to turn the Xbox on at 1am to download updates then have it go offline a 6am otherwise it stops people streaming anything is no fun.

Same with WFH/school, with 2mbps upload you are fighting a losing battle - lets hope it works as intended and makes Open reach finally have an alternative in the ignored parts of the UK.

2 Likes

Yeah, we had our street dug up MONTHS ago now for FTTP - still not live (yes, the construction is complete) it really odd, you’d think if they’ve spent all that cash doing it, they want to promote it as get people signed up ASAP

2 Likes

What, other people’s private wifi networks? No.

In terms of being able to take the sat dish anywhere with you and get internet as long as you have power? Yes.

Meaning, in the way BT do and have an open network alongside a private network.

I don’t think this is true on the starlink Reddit it seems to tag your dish to a certain mileage area and stops working once you leave it. This may change in the future though.

1 Like

Well, for the minute it has to be within a certain radius if the registered address for the moment, although they are working on making the system portable

Apparently a budget plan coming at some point according to

1 Like