StarLink for CT Tesla

[Richard V.]

This is kind of what I am thinking as well. Starlink would have to bend over backwards (redesign the system?) to accommodate 100's of thousands of Tesla vehicles. It doesn't seem like that is the goal of Starlink at all, so why degrade service to people's homes/businesses when vehicles can just use 5G?

I think it is because Starlink will, in time, work just about anywhere on the planet at any time with no down time.

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[Richard V.]

Just a reminder, Elon works at both, but SpaceX and Tesla are 2 different companies. Starlink is a SpaceX thing, and probably always will be. Dabbling in communication does not mesh well with Tesla's goals. It is perfectly right up SpaceX's alley though.

That said, I don't think TeslaBot should be a Tesla product either, but at least it is re-using technology that Tesla already owns.

I can't see SpaceX building terrestrial Cell towers until the Starlink satellite constellation is complete, and that could take a while still. I really don't see Tesla going off to build a phone company just to not have to deal with the incumbent cellular companies for 5G service in the cars. I could be wrong, but it doesn't make sense to me at this time.

Thier own cellular/sat modem that connects the car by either or both? sure. cell towers not likely.

Hi Rod, I do not think SpaceX and Starlink wants 5G cell towers on the ground as a start. They could/will provide 5G services from above as a Starlink services with a somewhat reduce speed, but with broad coverage just about anywhere (given evolution of current ways of doing business between space and ground comms service providers - there are some tensions between these two world).

For example, the steel used in SpaceX space vehicles will be modified to be used in Tesla ground vehicles. For Elon, I believe it is all the same day of seeing the interconnected world he is helping to create with his various companies. Tesla technologies and Teslabots are natural blends of the same.

Cheers.

 

[rodmacpherson]

Hi Rod, I do not think SpaceX and Starlink wants 5G cell towers on the ground as a start.

I couldn't agree more. That is why I was saying that the suggestion that they or Tesla would build a terrestrial cellular network is not very likely. SpaceX is trying to prove their satellite system is better than ground based. One day they may build some ground based relays in dense areas to help fill a gap, but that wouldn't happen any time soon. They really want it to be all space based. They are certainly not going to undermine their own claims of better than ground based performance once it is done by building ground based comms before the constellation has reached its completion.

 

[Richard V.]

I couldn't agree more. That is why I was saying that the suggestion that they or Tesla would build a terrestrial cellular network is not very likely. SpaceX is trying to prove their satellite system is better than ground based. One day they may build some ground based relays in dense areas to help fill a gap, but that wouldn't happen any time soon. They really want it to be all space based. They are certainly not going to undermine their own claims of better than ground based performance once it is done by building ground based comms before the constellation has reached its completion.

Yes that is it Rod, that is exactly what I was trying to say in broken English

 

[rr6013]

<Snip>

I can't see SpaceX building terrestrial Cell towers until the Starlink satellite constellation is complete, and that could take a while still. I really don't see Tesla going off to build a phone company just to not have to deal with the incumbent cellular companies for 5G service in the cars. I could be wrong, but it doesn't make sense to me at this time.

Thier own cellular/sat modem that connects the car by either or both? sure. cell towers not likely.

Every Tesla is a smartphone already. Tesla builds the biggest fastest smartphones on the planet. LOL

Tesla opportunity is SpaceX Swarm+Starlink. Terrestrial is built out, owned and leveraged. Tesla have light duty IoT Swarm can handle while VoIP Starlink can backfill gaps in terrestrial backcountry. Tesla can make that happen, leverage their vehicle in the process and outsource handheld branded Tesla phones if it becomes a product people want. I’m ready to deplatform Apple and kick the sand off my cellphone.

People don’t remember but SteveJobs envisioned the wireless future different. Apple iPhone 3(1st sold to public) featured “handoff”. Handoff worked. Talking on cellular your conversation would switch to your WiFi when you walked through the door; vice-versa. ATT talked Apple into abandoning Handoff. It was a great feature, improved call quality AND reduced minutes on cellular.

Tesla could bring real value just by providing a good honest backup scheme to cellphones rather than the Apple iCloud synch solution. No Dropbox kludge but fully integrated at the OS level. OH BTW why not run it on Quix?

Xiaomi would jump at such an opportunity to build S.S. banded Tesla flip communicators. The network effect provides a pathway for its AI and robotics-in-mobility space it occupies.

 

[OneLapper]

It is possible: on an airplane. It is possible on a terrestrial motor vehicle too but it is hardly practical. People have taken their dishie and a tripod out in their pickups and used Starlink at remote sites. You will be able to do that and do it flexibly when the constellation is fully beefed up, landing rights all resolved and the single "cell" restriction removed. But if you are fantasizing about cruising town and country listening to streaming through Starlink with a phased array built into your truck you can forget about that. The cell tower/microcell solutions are much more practical and will remain so for a good long time.

I own entertainer coaches that I lease to bands, and when Elon said StarLink would be available for "over the road trucks" I mentally locked that into my brain.

So, I think that's their plan, to make it work for trucks, buses, and RVs, as well as planes and trains. The sooner the better. The commercial offerings for internet on a bus is awful and very expensive.

 

[rodmacpherson]

People don’t remember but SteveJobs envisioned the wireless future different. Apple iPhone 3(1st sold to public) featured “handoff”. Handoff worked. Talking on cellular your conversation would switch to your WiFi when you walked through the door; vice-versa. ATT talked Apple into abandoning Handoff. It was a great feature, improved call quality AND reduced minutes on cellular.

You talk of cellular to WiFi handoff like it died with iPhone 3 ...I am not an iPhone user, does iPhone not have that feature? everyone else does.
This web page seems to suggest WiFi calling (voice) still existing on iPhone. https://www.weboost.com/blog/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-wifi-calling

 

[Crissa]

I think it is because Starlink will, in time, work just about anywhere on the planet at any time with no down time.

Starlink 'cells' are huge.

They do not lend to there being millions of Starlink antenna in them. It would overload the satellites.

-Crissa

 

[SwampNut]

I've been a network engineer for over 30 years, working with many different technologies together to build one system. I've used cellular as redundancy to fiber/wired systems a lot. And satellite as a third to that. Microwave to get between mountains and then a backup low-speed simple radio for that. Tesla already has LTE connectivity in every car; the Starlink connection can simply be used for backup. Starlink as primary coverage would be TERRIBLE for most people. It can't handle a limited view of the sky. So downtown would be problematic. Tunnels? Forget it. Even heavy tree cover would mean a loss of service or severely reduced service.

My friends in Northern areas with lots of trees are even having problems just finding a clear-enough area to put a pole up at 20-30 feet. Now imagine the antenna being at nearly ground level. It's great here in the AZ desert where I can almost always see the sky, but not so much in many other places.

Starlink cells can grow and shrink, the smallest I've heard is 15 miles across, in about a hexagon. I have not researched this in detail and Starlink is not completely giving answers. But it seems like the potential for thousands of users in a 15 mile cell is workable, but not 100k users.

You talk of cellular to WiFi handoff like it died with iPhone 3 ...I am not an iPhone user, does iPhone not have that feature? everyone else does.

It does, and works extremely well.

I just wish I could order Starlink for an area to be determined later. I want to take a boat trip in January that takes me just outside their current coverage. It may just work, and they may have more satellites in the area then. But I can't really order it/configure it for the area. So I may order it for my area then tell it I'm moving, and see what happens. I can spend much more time on deserted islands if I can still do at least 20-60 minutes of communication each day.

 

[Brick]

I’m an early starlink beta tester . Lake cabin , northern MN. Very pleased .
I just assumed once the array was complete , starlink would also become a component of Tesla vehicle features and or subscriptions. self driving , GPS, “emergency “On star style “ services, and more .

 

[SwampNut]

I’m an early starlink beta tester . Lake cabin , northern MN. Very pleased .
I just assumed once the array was complete , starlink would also become a component of Tesla vehicle features and or subscriptions. self driving , GPS, “emergency “On star style “ services, and more .

Have you had to deal with snow yet? A friend in Idaho is considering it.

 

[Brick]

Have you had to deal with snow yet? A friend in Idaho is considering it.

Snow ? Yes , I’ve had it almost a year now . Coming into its second winter.

couple things:

The dish gives off heat when plugged in
It’s coated , slippery
The dish angle is considerable

 

[Pa Cybertruck]

Heck, it could even be hidden under something like a hood scoop if its too big to fit under the frunk completely...

 

[azjohn]

They are, but the equipment is larger than cell service and will be much more expensive. You will be taking the 'place' of many stationary users.

This is why in their initial plan, they were pointing out that their pricing would be geographical. This isn't just because city folk can pay more: It's because the number of free slots to talk to antenna will be more constrained in some cells.

-Crissa

I am expecting Starlink to improve once Starlink 2.0 is live, presently it is being called v .9. Once the lasers are being used the ground stations will be less of an issue

 

[SwampNut]

Improve? Everyone I know who has it loves it, and gives it a 10/10 for reliability and speed.

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