Starlink review...good article

[harshness]

I'd think it wouldn't be too difficult to come up with an RF transparent bird resistant shield for the flat surface. Maybe just a "teepee" of thin plastic legs. If I had the problem, and had Starlink for that matter, I'd give it a test using simple plastic straws if they can still be found anywhere.

Birds will light on pretty much any surface other than spikes.

 

[NYDutch]

Birds will light on pretty much any surface other than spikes.

Then cut the tops of the straws into points...

 

[Foxbat]

While on vacation, I did a quick site survey for a Starlink Dishy McFlatface and was not happy with my results. Being a cabin in the woods, there are lots of trees in the sightline of Dishy. It might work on the south edge of the roof, but I don't think we're going to get uninterrupted coverage. Too bad this site doesn't have an actual Starlink forum (why is that?) where I could ask questions.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hmm I always thought broadband internet included Starband.


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Hmm I always thought broadband internet included Starband.


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[harshness]

Too bad this site doesn't have an actual Starlink forum (why is that?) where I could ask questions.

With only 100,000 beta customers (and many of the new ones to be non-US customers), is it really to that point yet?

 

[Foxbat]

With only 100,000 beta customers (and many of the new ones to be non-US customers), is it really to that point yet?

Well, I guess I would counter with how many Orby customers are there, but it’s a different class of service.

I would think Satellite Internet should be more prominently featured as this site is called SatelliteGuys, instead of being buried all the way towards the bottom of the Forums after Chit Chat, Sports, Cooking, and Video Gaming. Making Satellite Broadband part of the Satellite Signals Forum seems like an idea that everyone could get behind. I’d be curious to see how many Starlink, Exceed, WildBlue (hey, that’s what the Broadband sub-forum still lists!) customers are on SatelliteGuys.

Maybe this conversation would best be had in the Support Center…

 

[harshness]

Well, I guess I would counter with how many Orby customers are there, but it’s a different class of service.

The difference being that Orby was a full release product and Starlink really isn't.

Maybe this conversation would best be had in the Support Center…

In that is it in the forum that Scott suggested for Starlink discussion, it probably is in the right place.

It is surprising to me how much deadwood Xenforo seems to foster. It must be really hard to redistribute things.

 

[EarDemon]

I’d be curious to see how many Starlink, Exceed, WildBlue (hey, that’s what the Broadband sub-forum still lists!) customers are on SatelliteGuys.

Numbers would say not many. (Wild Blue and Excede are the same thing now going by their corporate name, Viasat)

While I can't seem to find current numbers, the figures from a few years ago have HughesNet at a little over a million subscribers and Viasat at little under a million. Add in how ever many DishNet subscribers there are on re-sold Viasat and HugheNet and the beta testers on Starlink and you're talking less than 2.5 million satellite internet customers nationwide. Compared to over 20 million subscribers combined on Dish and DirecTV.

 

[harshness]

PC Magazine recently did an unscientific test and discovered that Starlink is pushing out new installs in some areas until 2023.

SpaceX Pushes Wait Times for Starlink to 'Late 2022, Early 2023' for More Areas

The wait times seem to apply to new customers looking to pre-order the satellite internet service.

www.pcmag.com

 

[NYDutch]

PC Magazine recently did an unscientific test and discovered that Starlink is pushing out new installs in some areas until 2023.

SpaceX Pushes Wait Times for Starlink to 'Late 2022, Early 2023' for More Areas

The wait times seem to apply to new customers looking to pre-order the satellite internet service.

www.pcmag.com

I suspect the delays might be a function of both the number of folks wanting service and launch delays due to materials shortages slowing down deployment of additional sats.

 

[harshness]

I suspect the delays might be a function of both the number of folks wanting service and launch delays due to materials shortages slowing down deployment of additional sats.

The article (an some subsequent articles) cover many suspicions but given the regional nature of the delays, it seems very likely to me that the infrastructure isn't there to support the demand.

 

[NYDutch]

The article (an some subsequent articles) cover many suspicions but given the regional nature of the delays, it seems very likely to me that the infrastructure isn't there to support the demand.

Exactly, and more sats, especially the new version with laser links, will help alleviate that. It just takes time...

 

[Bruce]

Still says Starlink is targeting coverage in your area in mid to late 2021., on my order page which I did about 6 months ago, but I have to say mid is gone and we are at Late right now, I do not expect the unit until next year.

I have great service from Charter, just wanted StarLink as a back up service, I can wait for now, hope to have it up by next year‘s hurricane season.

 

[harshness]

Exactly, and more sats, especially the new version with laser links, will help alleviate that. It just takes time...

Sure, but they're signing up people now with the knowledge that they won't be installing for 6-18 months and that's not right even if they confess it up front.

 

[reubenray]

When I signed up a few weeks ago I got the "mid to late 2021" and I fully expected not to get it by those dates. Since the update to Starlink website/account page some people had their dates pushed back to 2022 or 2023. Mine is still showing 2021. With the new account page there is a map and the people that are correcting their location on the map their dates are being pushed back. There is a silicon and chip shortage holding them up, but I suspect the shipping bog down in California is part of it to.

 

[harshness]

Anybody know where the equipment is being manufactured?

Of course if the problem is satellite coverage, maybe the issue is getting the satellites built.

 

[NYDutch]

Anybody know where the equipment is being manufactured?

Of course if the problem is satellite coverage, maybe the issue is getting the satellites built.

The chip shortage is the more immediate problem right now...

Starlink exits its beta phase, but its production is affected by the global chip shortage

SpaceX recently introduced some updates to its official Starlink website. And while the private space company formally dropped the “Beta” wording for its satellite internet service, SpaceX also warned customers that the ongoing worldwide chip shortage is delaying orders. The potential delays...

www.teslarati.com

 

[harshness]

The chip shortage is the more immediate problem right now...

That still doesn't explain the regional nature of the deliveries. From a support perspective, the more geographically concentrated your users are, the better. From a service perspective, the opposite is true.

Perhaps I'm just jaded by all of the highly questionable (and more than a little completely fabricated) blaming that is going on lately.

 

[NYDutch]

That still doesn't explain the regional nature of the deliveries. From a support perspective, the more geographically concentrated your users are, the better. From a service perspective, the opposite is true.

Perhaps I'm just jaded by all of the highly questionable (and more than a little completely fabricated) blaming that is going on lately.

I expect the shipments are prioritized towards the areas with the most open subscriber slots first.