Elon Musk's Broadband-From-Space Plan Clears Crucial U.S. Hurdle
ByTodd Shields and Dana Hull
Updated on
[My comments]
pace Is About to Get a Whole Lot Closer
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai on Wednesday recommended the agency approve Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s application to provide broadband services using satellite technologies in the U.S. and on a global basis. The proposal now goes to Pai’s four fellow commissioners for consideration at the agency which earlier approved three international operators for satellite-broadband operations: OneWeb, Space Norway AS and Telesat Canada.
“To bridge America’s digital divide, we’ll have to use innovative technologies,” Pai said in an emailed statement. “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.”
[Again--there ARE other technologies to serve where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach--in fact living in one of these "rural areas" not only do they not reach (except for cell towers) they do not serve the need as there are caps on usage and cell 4g LTE also has caps on usage]
The FCC’s move comes as U.S. politicians call for improved internet service in rural areas. President Donald Trump’s infrastructure proposal lists broadband, or high-speed internet service, as eligible for funding alongside traditional projects such as roads and bridges. Some Democratic lawmakers have criticized the lack of dedicated broadband funding.
John Taylor, a SpaceX spokesman, didn’t immediately comment or give further details on the company’s plans, but the FCC last year said SpaceX had requested authority to deploy and operate a constellation of 4,425 satellites operating roughly 700 to 800 miles above the Earth (or 1,110-to-1325 kilometers).
[How does this differ, for the end user, from other satellite technology? What about latency that prevents serious 4K streaming and other problems with current satellite providers (such as high prices and caps on usage again)?]
...Entering the satellite broadband market would add to Musk’s already wide array of business pursuits....
Pai, the Republican FCC chief, said SpaceX’s program could help “unleash the power of satellite constellations to provide high-speed internet to rural Americans.”
The approval would be the first given to an American-based company to provide broadband services using a new generation of low-Earth orbit satellite technologies, Pai said.
[When will this happen? Next year, the year after, etc, etc? We have ability right now in rural areas to bypass lack of fiber cable, cell towers. RIGHT NOW and HERE (we are using it right now)--wireless Fibernet!!!! They talked about this 3 years ago.
[Again, is this the same ole, same ole as far as Satellite-delivered internet?] Will it connect directly to consumers or to the backbones of Internet providers?
“We’re going to try to do for satellites what we’ve done for rockets,” said Musk during an interview with Bloomberg Television in January 2015.
In order for large broadband constellations to deliver services in the U.S., the FCC must approve their operations to ensure the satellites don’t interfere with other uses, and will operate in a way that lowers the risk of collisions.
The FCC last year gave OneWeb access to the U.S. market using a proposed fleet of 720 satellites, and granted Telesat access to the market via 117 satellites already authorized by Canada. Space Norway won approval for two satellites.
Telesat last year said its service would suffer interference from SpaceX’s operations as proposed, and asked the FCC to deny permission.
[Looks like this isn't cut and dried since SpaceX would interfere with Telesat so we're NOT going to see this tomorrow or next year]
Glad I found something I can use today in my rural area!
No comments:
Post a Comment