Soon: Starlink

Back in 2006, an earthquake near Taiwan cut our internet for weeks after a 7.0 earthquake cut 9 internet cables.

this disrupted our internet, but also a lot of business and bank internet traffic, and not only affected the Philippines but disrupted business in other Asian countries that used these cables to send information to the US.

Other problems that could threaten our local internet (especially for those of us living in the rural Philippines) are local typhoons/floods/earthquakes and even volcanic eruptions. Luckily, however, usually the cellphone towers enable folks to keep in touch with relatives, so we could connect via cellphone for email and vital information: And indeed, when we were hit with a big typhoon a couple years back and had no water or electric service for two weeks, our neighbors would come and charge up their cellphones from our generator so they could stay in touch with their relatives.

So the Philippines is at risk for internet problems if China decides to continue pushing us around, but the main problem will come if they invade Taiwan and start blocking internet cables near there or in the West Philippine sea.

So I was happy to read in the Inquirer that the Philippines is okaying Starlink.... something that should benefit us if we decide to move to the farm to live, and of course would benefit those in even more isolated areas of the Philippines.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) speedy approval of SpaceX-Starlink’s requirements will allow the country to enjoy breakthrough internet services through Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network constellation consisting of over 1,600 satellites. Starlink promises to deliver up to 200 Mbps broadband speeds particularly on “geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA)” that is hard to reach with a fiber connection. 

So good news all around.

When Russia disrupted the internet for the Ukraine, Starlink satellites were repositioned quickly so they could communicate with each other and with the outside world, at a time when the west was still dithering and contemplating their navels to figure out if they should help or not.

So Starlink might take another weapon away from Chinese bullying other Asian nations from helping Taiwan if they decide to invade that country... which is why China is trying to figure out how to destroy these satellites,

..... 

and of course all that lovely money gifted to a certain US politician's cocaine using son, not to mention gifts of oodles of money to environmental groups, isn't why the US government  is so aggressive at delaying Musk from using Cape Canavral, claiming they need to do an environmental review (of an area that has been used to launch rockets since the early 1960s.)