The FCC decided it wouldn’t be the “best” use of limited funds.

Starlink loses out on $886 million in rural broadband subsidies::The FCC reaffirmed a decision not to award Starlink a nearly $900 million subsidy for offering 100Mbps/20Mbps low-latency internet service in 35 states.

  • jonne@infosec.pubEnglish
    31·
    11 months ago

    Eh, starlink at least works by all accounts. I guess the jury is still out if it’s sustainable as a business because the satellites are deorbiting like crazy.

    • echo64@lemmy.worldEnglish
      304·
      11 months ago

      If your business plan involves firing out infinite rockets full of cell towers forever. You should probably just spend the money on copper instead.

      • Ilovethebomb@lemm.eeEnglish
        215·
        11 months ago

        I don’t think you quite understand just how remote some people are. Besides, Starlink is also being used on vessels and aircraft, good luck getting copper out to them.

        Also, fibre optic is how the cool people Internet these days.

      • GBU_28@lemm.eeEnglish
        81·
        11 months ago

        This makes zero sense. If that was profitable it would have been done already.

        • echo64@lemmy.worldEnglish
          65·
          11 months ago

          It’s not, neither is starlink. That’s the whole point. You have two things, you can either launch infinite rockets forever or lay some infrastructure that we can benefit from forever.

          Why America chooses not to lay infrastructure is beyond me. More so why Americans justify it so often. This shit is why America doesn’t have trains.

          • crazyCat@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            31·
            11 months ago

            Preach the truth brother. The single most effective way to spread more internet is more cable and towers.

          • LilB0kChoy@midwest.socialEnglish
            2·
            11 months ago

            Bundle it all together! We have tons of electrical that should be moved underground. Throw internet lines into that pool too and put it all under the ground and run the network cables everywhere the power goes.

          • Ilovethebomb@lemm.eeEnglish
            54·
            11 months ago

            The fact that you’re talk about laying copper for Internet access shows just how little you know.

            • echo64@lemmy.worldEnglish
              64·
              11 months ago

              I use it because it makes people mad and I think that’s funny, obviously fibre is better. Good for digestion

              Also yes copper is still more cost efficient than infinite rockets with infinite cell towers forever

    • spudwart@spudwart.comEnglish
      7·
      11 months ago

      They aren’t sustainable because they are de-orbiting but they’re also supposed to be low-cost and high speed.

      If the prices aren’t low-cost, and the speeds continue to decrease, it’s entire purpose is defeated.