STARLINK
The US Federal Communications Commission has received a request from SpaceX to launch a new service – telephone communication and voice calls. The technical part will be implemented using the Starlink network, and economically it is tied to the federal program for providing telephony Lifeline. This will make it possible to subsidize services and make it easier for the poor to access them.
It should be clarified that SpaceX does not plan to build a new network from scratch – on the contrary, the company is going to use existing communication lines, a public telephone network. It will be supplemented with VoIP communication using broadband Internet access via Starlink. You can use it via a compatible phone from any manufacturer. SpaceX does not exclude that if the service is in demand, they can develop their own applications and services for voice communication. But the main aspect is still financial, today Starlink services are used by about 10 thousand customers who pay $99 per month and $499 entry fee. Inclusion in the Lifeline program will allow them to save $9.25 (about 10%) – not too much, but quite a logical step to attract a wide range of users.
