The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has reiterated the potential of utilizing Starlink in areas which were ravaged by pure disasters. In a latest touch upon social media platform X, Elon Musk famous that america’ Starlink deal, which was later revoked by the FCC, may have value considerably much less if the federal government didn’t insist on “so many loopy necessities that add no worth.”
As famous in a FOX Information report, the FCC launched an initiative 4 years in the past that awarded grants to firms that would present high-speed web entry to america’ underserved areas. SpaceX gained an $885.5 million grant from the initiative, which was supposed to attach over 640,000 houses and companies—at a value of about 1,300 per equipment—in 35 states throughout the nation. The grant, nonetheless, was rescinded in 2022. The FCC reaffirmed its determination in December 2023.
Starlink’s functionality to present web connectivity in areas affected by disasters was highighted not too long ago as FEMA and personal people and organizations deployed Starlink kits to areas that had been hit laborious by Hurricane Helene. Amidst the continuing restoration efforts, some customers in X famous that the 5 most impacted states by Hurricane Helene would have over 92,800 Starlink kits at their disposal had the FCC not revoked its award for the satellite tv for pc web system. What’s extra, every Starlink equipment within the 5 most affected states would have value simply over $1,000 per equipment.
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
In a response on X, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk famous that the worth of every Starlink equipment for america’ underserved areas may even have been decrease. As per Musk, the worth of each Starlink equipment below the rescinded FCC award bought larger as a result of the federal government insisted on necessities that didn’t actually add something of worth. “By the best way, the worth might be a lot much less if the federal government didn’t insist on so many loopy necessities that add no worth,” Musk wrote in his response on X.
By the best way, the worth might be a lot much less if the federal government didn’t insist on so many loopy necessities that add no worth
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Since rescinding Starlink’s $885 million award, america authorities would now be spending over $42 billion to offer fiber high-speed web to underserved areas. As famous by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, “Now you’ve bought circumstances the place the federal government is spending within the ballpark of, and in some circumstances in extra of, $100,000 per location to construct out fiber high-speed web to those places.”
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— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Curiously sufficient, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel additionally hinted at a convention earlier this yr that Starlink has progress far too prolific, and that the satellite tv for pc web system wants some competitors. As per the FCC Chairwoman, Starlink has “nearly two-thirds of the satellites which might be in area proper now and has a really excessive portion of web visitors.” She additionally famous that “Our economic system doesn’t profit from monopolies. So we’ve bought to ask many more room actors in lots of extra firms that may develop constellations and improvements in area.”
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