World free Internet: when it will launch the Mask and how much?

2018-02-26 15:55

World free Internet: when it will launch the Mask and how much?
Five naive questions about satellite Internet in Elon musk.

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On 23 February, the company SpaceX launched the rocket Falcon 9 with the first satellites for Internet distribution Microsat Microsat 2a and 2b, reports Rus.Media.

In fact, Elon Musk has launched its space programme, for installation into earth orbit about 12 thousand satellites that will give Internet access to any point of the earth. The project will be called StarLink. The Network is now a lot of discussion what will be the world space Internet web. Someone even dreams that all traffic is free.

When you’re waiting for the possible launch of the network, how it will work and what will earn the company?

What’s up with the Mask?

I have to say, the idea of satellite Internet is not new. In many countries there are companies that provide this service for a very reasonable price. As in the history with electric cars, Elon Musk came to solving the problem globally. He decided to cover the whole near-earth space Earth satellites. This network will resemble the base stations of mobile operators that fly in space.

SpaceX plans to launch 4425 satellite in earth orbit with an altitude from 1110 to 1325 miles. Still 7518 satellites will be placed in lower orbits — from 335 to 346 miles. So, the earth having “hang out” 11943 satellite.

Top satellites will cover the territory with a diameter of 1200 km, and the lower is about 450 km. the Relatively low orbit of their placement due to the fact that the company wants to reduce the delay time of the signal.

How does it work?

In fact, satellite Internet is very easy. Instead of using a network cable as it happens in your home, the signal is transmitted to the satellite, and that it sends to the provider. So the signal goes in the opposite sequence. In order for the subscriber to connect to the Internet, you need to purchase special equipment – satellite receiver and antenna. They cost $ 300.

Feature of satellite Internet is that the antenna should be quite precisely aimed at the satellite. This means that it should be fixed and to be fixed. That is, satellite Internet does not provide that you will be walking around the city, and your smartphone will communicate with the satellite. You do not go with satellite TV antenna in the city J.

So this service will benefit those who do not have access to high speed Internet today. According to Elon musk, the development of the company basically will provide a network of remote regions where it is difficult to draw the fiber optic connection.

How much is it now?

In Ukraine you can now enjoy satellite Internet. When connecting and signing long-term contract, the equipment costs the client in 2,5-3,5 thousand UAH.

Further charging resembles packages of mobile operators. For 360 UAH per month you can buy the cheapest fare with the volume of traffic is 10Gb per month and connection speed 3 Mbit/sec. the most expensive package costs 1500 UAH and includes 60 GB of data at 20 Mbps in sekundu.

Will the Internet from Mask free?

At the moment ways to monetize their ideas Elon Musk has not yet announced. However, his company said that in the first year of work is going to earn 30 billion.

What might be the economic model of StarLink interaction with subscribers? The first may be the same as your existing satellite operators. That is, you buy the equipment, and then pay as part of your tariff package. When you consider that in the US the monthly service of the mobile subscriber is worth $ 40-50, then the sum of the monthly subscriber cost of satellite communications is unlikely to be less.

The second option is free Internet. You buy the equipment and checking one or more blocks of advertisements, have access to the Internet. In this case, the Internet connection will be roughly the same as passengers in airports, when every 15 or 30 minutes you should run in your browser is. Someone will say that he is ready to make that sacrifice for the sake of free Internet, but imagine that you can not normally play in the online game, and when I watch the movie every 15 minutes you must carry out manipulations in the browser. Not very convenient.

But for the advertiser, such contextual advertising is very beneficial. After analyzing the flow of your data, the same Elon Musk will be able to sell targeted ads to you personally, as it now does Google.

When waiting for the start of the project?

SpaceX said that the practical realization of the Starlink project will start in 2019, and in 2020 the network will begin work in a confined volume. A full network would have to earn in 2024. However, due to the successful launch of the carrier rocket Falcon Heavy implementation of the project may shift to an earlier date.