[Starlink] No RDOF-Funds for Starlink

[David Lang]

I thought I had read that they were upset over the $500 up front cost of 
starlink more than anything else.

David Lang

On Mon, 22 Aug 2022, Daniel AJ Sokolov via Starlink wrote:

> Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2022 12:47:33 -0700
> From: Daniel AJ Sokolov via Starlink <starlink at lists.bufferbloat.net>
> Reply-To: Daniel AJ Sokolov <daniel at falco.ca>
> To: Benjamin Henrion via Starlink <starlink at lists.bufferbloat.net>
> Subject: [Starlink] No RDOF-Funds for Starlink
> 
> Hello,
>
> Starlink was posed to receive 900 million USD from the FCC's Rural 
> Digital Opportunity Fund to bring broadband internet to unserviced areas 
> of the United States - until it wasn't.
>
> Earlier this month, the FCC decided NOT to give Starlink any of the 900 
> million dollars after all.
> https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-22-848A1.pdf
>
> "The Bureau has determined that, based on the totality of the long-form
> applications, the expansive service areas reflected in their winning 
> bids, and their inadequate responses to the Bureau’s follow-up 
> questions, LTD and Starlink are not reasonably capable of complying with 
> the Commission’s requirements. The Commission has an obligation to 
> protect our limited Universal Service Funds and to avoid extensive 
> delays in providing needed service to rural areas, including by avoiding
> subsidizing risky proposals that promise faster speeds than they can 
> deliver, and/or propose deployment plans that are not realistic or that 
> are predicated on aggressive assumptions and predictions. We observe
> that Ookla data reported as of July 31, 2022 indicate that Starlink’s 
> speeds have been declining from the last quarter of 2021 to the second 
> quarter of 2022, including upload speeds that are falling well below 20
> Mbps. Accordingly, we deny LTD’s and Starlink’s long-form applications, 
> and both are in default on all winning bids (...)"
>
> (For purposes of Starlink, you can ignore the parts about LTD Broadband.)
>
> Also note this 2021 study showing Starlink's impending capacity crunch:
>
> We forecast a capacity shortfall in 2028:
> - 56% of RDOF subscribers are congested in a forecasted
> low demand scenario
> - More locations will be impacted if RDOF usage is higher,
> or SpaceX launches fewer satellites by 2028
> . RDOF service could be significantly worse if Starlink
> capacity is allocated to non-RDOF use cases
>
> https://www.ntca.org/sites/default/files/documents/2021-02/FBA_LEO_RDOF_Assessment_Final_Report_20210208.pdf
>
>
> FYI
> Daniel
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