STARLINK is getting closer......

DR_Guy

Bronze
Feb 17, 2010
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Me too. I signed up with my email for the DR, but havent heard anything. I hope they build the network concentrically so the Caribbean will be close to what they have established in southern canada and the the northern usa.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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Great 42,000 more pieces of potential space junk to rain down on someone's head or to take out another satellite.
I'll take my chances. You may want to throw your telescope up on Feyboo before it gets crowded.
 
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windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
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Great 42,000 more pieces of potential space junk to rain down on someone's head or to take out another satellite.
Visions of John Belushi on SNL dancing in my head... Back when SNL was funny it was one of the funniest, eh?

 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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What goes up must come down.
Nah, The Starlink satellites are way too small to make ever it back home. They'll be dust by the time they hit our atmosphere.

I asked when it will be available here and got in part this canned message:

It's generally expected the coverage will expand down to roughly 30° latitude at the end of January, based on Elon's tweets and our observations on the state of the constellation. See the links above for quotes and evidence. Further expansion down beyond 30° to the equator will require many additional launches. Polar coverage will also require additional launches. According to Elon's tweets they hope they will be able to provide global coverage, including the poles, by the end of 2021.

Timelines for access opening outside of US and Canada are not known. What we know about other countries is listed in the Wiki: Will there be service in my country?
It's generally expected SpaceX will seek governmental approval before offering their service.
 
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CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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Nah, The Starlink satellites are way too small to make ever it back home. They'll be dust by the time they hit our atmosphere.
Thanks. I'm already paranoid and losing sleep over Covid, the last thing I need on top of that is to be worried about stuff falling on my head from outer space.
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
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By the end of 2021 for the DR.

By then even CLARO might know when they are thinking of planning to supply fiber optic service where I am in Cabarete.
But I doubt it.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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By the end of 2021 for the DR.

By then even CLARO might know when they are thinking of planning to supply fiber optic service where I am in Cabarete.
But I doubt it.
I'll take up to150 mbps down and 17 up from Starlink over Claro fiber any day of the week.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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Altice has 200 down and 20 up Fiber. One would think Claro would upgrade packages to compete. Hope so!

The big difference between Starlink and local carriers is that Starlink is a direct signal that travels directly from the satellites to your antenna while a local connection has to go through all of the local infrastructures to get to your home.

In my case, there's no Altice fiber optic solution in San Cristobal and Claro has not given me any indication they are willing to connect me to the Fiber Optic line that runs in front of my house.
 
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Challenger007

New member
Nov 2, 2020
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Springfield, Illinois
I used to use satellite internet, but the connection was unstable. After lengthy dialogues with providers, they still connected me with fiber optic, the internet became more stable. I bought myself a TP-Link AC1200 router to properly distribute the Internet to both smartphones and tablets. And with a laptop, it is no longer tied to the workplace. In general, I am satisfied with the quality of the Internet that I have now. On my own I recommend not to give up and ask the providers when they plan to provide adequate coverage. Because if you don't ask, they won't move.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I used to use satellite internet, but the connection was unstable. After lengthy dialogues with providers, they still connected me with fiber optic, the internet became more stable. I bought myself a TP-Link AC1200 router to properly distribute the Internet to both smartphones and tablets. And with a laptop, it is no longer tied to the workplace. In general, I am satisfied with the quality of the Internet that I have now. On my own I recommend not to give up and ask the providers when they plan to provide adequate coverage. Because if you don't ask, they won't move.
To be clear, I have pestered CLARO about a fiber-optic connection to the point they tell me "Don't call us, we'll call you"

They have opened orders at my insistance (based on advice from a CLARO tech) for a connection on 3 different occasions over the last 3 years.

When an order for a new connection is opened, they immediately cut your existing service if you have one.

Then I get the "this service is not available in your location" message and it takes me a week to get my old connection back.

The last time was last year, and the office told me my only hope was a wireless connection, s that's what I did.

When it's connected, I get 10 Mbps (that's what the speed test tells me) but it constantly drops every 15 minutes or so.

Skylink can't come fast enough for me.
 
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Challenger007

New member
Nov 2, 2020
18
5
3
Springfield, Illinois
To be clear, I have pestered CLARO about a fiber-optic connection to the point they tell me "Don't call us, we'll call you"

They have opened orders at my assistance (based on advice from a CLARO tech) for a connection on 3 different occasions over the last 3 years.

When an order for a new connection is opened, they immediately cut your existing service if you have one.

Then I get the "this service is not available in your location" message and it takes me a week to get my old connection back.

The last time was last year, and the office told me my only hope was a wireless connection, s that's what I did.

When it's connected, I get 10 Mbps (that's what the speed test tells me) but it constantly drops every 15 minutes or so.

Skylink can't come fast enough for me.
A complete mess. ISPs are beastly because people have little or no other option. That's just terrible! Are there any methods to combat this? Contacting government services that control the quality of work with consumers.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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A complete mess. ISPs are beastly because people have little or no other option. That's just terrible! Are there any methods to combat this? Contacting government services that control the quality of work with consumers.
It was my only remaining option and the rep at Claro explained in depth the issues I would have with a wireless connection. It was that or nothing.

The great thing about Starlink is once I've got the equipment I can take it anywhere I want on the island and set it up.
 
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TommyJo

New member
Feb 11, 2021
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United Kingdom
Great 42,000 more pieces of potential space junk to rain down on someone's head or to take out another satellite.
You only counted the satellites of one project.
Now add to this OneWeb, Sphere, 6g satellites, weather satellites and so on.
Officially, there will be 57,000 operating satellites in orbit by 2029.
Last year there were only 2,700.
But some companies are already thinking about what will have to do with it in the future.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,589
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You only counted the satellites of one project.
Now add to this OneWeb, Sphere, 6g satellites, weather satellites and so on.
Officially, there will be 57,000 operating satellites in orbit by 2029.
Last year there were only 2,700.
But some companies are already thinking about what will have to do with it in the future.
Great first post.