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Just as undisclosed as the location I posted this message from, also distributed globally. For Starlink, and therefore for the authorities, your position is well known.
(most of Starlink for the Ukrainian army is being paid for by Poland)
This isn't true either by $amount or number of dishes
SATCOM is brittle because physics.
Especially outside C band.
"Poland is the largest single contributor, paying approximately $50 million per year through its Digital Affairs Ministry for Starlink services in Ukraine. Poland has provided over 20,000 Starlink terminals and covers the ongoing subscription costs. As of recent reports, Poland has spent nearly 323 million PLN ($84 million) on more than 24,500 Starlink terminals over the past two years." (reuters)
Or, if you'd like somewhat outdated info from Wikipedia: "As of December 2023, Poland remains the largest single contributor of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, providing 19,500 out of 47,000 delivered"
That number represents the government(s) supplied numbers.
Take a look at this contract.
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_HC101324F0143_970...
Also Poland is definitely paying public retail prices.
The US on the other hand isn't.
Most drones are the regular wireless FPV. Not 5G/Starlink/Fiber.
They use INS, GNSS and 4G
Its not a miracle or a marvel, its basic physics.
LEO satellites will provide better internet experience than traditional satellites because they are closer to the earth.
Now, whether you want to blow smoke up Mr Musk's backside because he was the first to market with Starlink is a different subject. But it also not a subject worthy of the "miracle" or "marvel" title.
Personally I look forward to the day where there's a competitor product available, its merely a case of when not if.
Most Western countries are also busy improving fibre coverage to rural areas as old copper networks get decommissioned.
Ahaha, tell that to the UK countryside. I'm the last person who wants to stuff more money up Elmo's arse, but I have no other choice. Cannot wait for a competitor to show up, but just look at the head-start that Starlink has.
The UK countryside has already come a long way from where it was 5–10 years ago.
The problem with the UK is the regulatory/government environment.
The incumbent (BT) were given a large chunk of money 20 years ago for fibre deployment, but they were allowed to cherry-pick their deployments and so inevitably chose the low-hanging-fruit of the conurbations.
I would think 100% FTTC coverage will happen sooner than you think. FTTP clearly harder to forecast, most likely another 5–10 years, sadly.
You might see better 5G coverage sooner, of course.
I'm in rural UK. Blessed with fast fibre. However if the power goes out, it's a proper blackout. I'm slowly sorting out the ups situation along with nut
When the power goes out or fibre dies I cannot rely on 4/5G as they die also, so starlink is the only option
The physics is the easiest bit of what Starlink have done.
In 2025 I don't think anybody should consider automated satellite tracking using an SDR software loop to be a miracle. ;)
If this would not happen, I would agree that Starlink is the future. But as it is right now, I don't see the point, unless you are living in or travelling to remote places.
[0] https://hackaday.com/2024/02/05/starlinks-inter-satellite-la...
Great for Ham Radio bounce contacts, but a lot of space equipment won't do well. =3
People are still unsure why the sun hasn't accidentally cooked us thus far:
What part of the solution is a technological miracle?
If you put yourself in a position “one foot from success”, then you will be able to devalue any achievement this way.
If you see from the point of “empty universe”, you will see magic everywhere. This is the real magic.
You basically say that “there are no miracles, this is just an engineered system that we can reason about and study its parts”?
> If anything, I feel their use devalues the achievement, assigning progress to luck or providence.
Magic is not luck or providence, it is about pure appreciation of something that could have not existed, but here it is in your hands.
Yes, thanks to the effort and creativity of a lot of people, but without the “appreciating like a kid”, only dissecting the thing to “parts” might miss something. That was my point
I guess it's a branding problem more than anything.