SpaceX Starling answers questions: “Broad beta” coming soon, no plans for data caps

SpaceX Starling engineers answered questions Reddit AMA (Ask me anything) Saturday, Data caps (which they hope will never work), general beta expanding to more users, and topics such as how satellite-broadband service will expand and change in the future.

“Starling is a very flexible system, and will get better over time as we optimize the software. Incognito, bandwidth, and reliability can all be significantly improved,” the engineers wrote under the Redd username “Disheimsflatface”, which is the nickname StarX, the nickname for SpaceX.

Here are some highlights of AMA.

There are no data caps “at this time”

When asked if users occasionally encounter data caps, the Starling team gave a vague answer: “At this time, there are no data caps in the Starling beta service.”

That answer includes the present, but not the future, and the next comment from the DMCMCflatface gave a more detailed answer, indicating that SpaceX is trying to avoid data caps:

So, we don’t really want to implement control data caps like people have encountered with satellite internet in the past. Now we are trying to find out a lot more. We will have to do something in the future to prevent abuse and ensure that everyone else gets quality service.

No need for an extended beta-bribe in January

Many who could not get the Starling beta are eagerly awaiting updates on availability, and AMA provided a response. The Starling team wrote that SpaceX “is steadily increasing network access over time to bring in as many people as possible.” “Significantly, we plan to move from a limited beta to a broad beta in late January to allow more users to participate.”

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk presented one A similar update on Twitter When a user asked when the beta was coming to Florida a few weeks ago. “The low-latitude states need more satellites, so January,” Musk wrote at the time.

As before, people who want to get Starling can enter their email and service address Starling website Hope to hear from you again. Bribery obviously does not help. When a Reddit user asks, “How are beta users selected, and what is the best bribe?” The Starling team responded, “There is no need for bribes. Our goal is to serve everyone in the end.”

More engineers are needed

The Starling team has repeatedly told Reddit users that SpaceX is looking for more engineers. In response to when the beta will be expanded, TCMCflatface wrote, “If you want to help run it, the best thing you can do is send the best software engineers to Starling.”

Dozens of jobs are available in Starling product design, product design and software, and links to job posts can be found here DishyMcFlatface comment. “We are very excited about Starling’s initial response and future potential, but still have a ton to learn,” the Starling team wrote. “If you know of any great men who can help us, please email their application to [email protected].”

Will Starling work away from home?

A few weeks ago, we Wrote about the Starling beta user The man who took the satellite dish and a little electricity to a national forest in Idaho, where he was able to get fast internet service. But just because SpaceX currently guarantees that this will work at every beta user’s service address does not mean you can pick up the dish from anywhere.

A Reddit user who lives and works on a docked boat in South Florida wanted to know if Starling would provide service in the open seas. “A mobile system that gives me a reliable connection will set me free to roam the coast of America, the Bahamas and beyond,” the user wrote.

Starling replied:

Right now, we can only offer the service at the address you register at Starling.com. You may get lucky if you try to use Starling in nearby places, but the service quality may be poor.

Mobility options, including moving your Starling to different service addresses (or even places where there are no addresses!) – come as soon as we are able to increase our coverage by launching more satellites and launching new software.

SpaceX recently Asked the Federal Communications Commission To get permission to test Starling user terminals “on coastal platforms” Private jets.

Storms and extreme temperatures

A Reddit user asked if the satellite dish would work in strong winds, such as “rain with thunder falling down from the interstate on the tail of a flatbed trailer. The SpaceX team said it was not a recommended use and that “the dish was not designed for tropical storms, hurricanes, etc.”

A Reddit user living in Canada asked if the dish works at temperatures below 45 C (below 49 பார F). Starling engineers responded that the dish was certified to operate at 30 ° to 40 C below zero (up to 22 ° 104 ° F below zero). SpaceX “tests this cool temperature without any problems.”

Starling satellite foods “have self-heating capabilities to cope with a wide variety of weather conditions,” the group said. In the coming weeks and months, they plan to deploy software updates that will “improve our ice melting capacity”.