… No. Starlink is absolutely not ‘truly the only solution.’
As I already pointed out, there are other Satellite based internet providers. Yes, they generally are not as fast or inexpensive or have as good coverage as Starlink… but they do exist.
As far as 5G based net goes… actually, many, many parts of the world that have more recently gained wide spread internet access… have done so via 4g and 5g based data plans, which are often far less restrictive in terms of a hotspot limited data plan when connecting to other devices, than is common in say, the US.
There… is no real, technical reason a phone, with a 5g unlimited data plan… should have some arbitrary cap on ‘oh well this internet access isn’t allowed because it is going to another device!’
… Data caps in general are complete horseshit, anyone remember Net Neutrality?.. but I’m getting off topic.
It is way less expensive to set up a few cell phone towers in an area… than build out an entire physical line to every home and officr and factory.
And again, as I already stated… if you are in an area that actually has a solid 5g coverage map… there are many cases now where a home on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area can actually now choose a much faster and cheaper 5g gateway router thingy mabob over Starlink.
As far as I am aware, the only actually unique thing that Starlink offers is basically high speed internet, potentially literally anywhere, for something moving, like a seaborne vessel, or RV on the road… but I don’t know if that plan is actually still supported by Starlink, at least at a general public/consumer level.
I don’t know if anyone ever tried Starlink on a commercial airliner, my guess is that a jet would move too fast for it to really work that well, also possible interference problems with other electronic communications equipment on an aircraft.
This ‘internet in motion’ capability obviously has military applications… but it has become increasingly evident that this is a very bad fucking idea for many reasons… normally, militaries … have their own radio communications equipment, infrastructure, paradigms, that they much more thoroughly control.
You can technically, theoretically kind of do that with existing 5g based home internet plans in the US, anywhere there is 5g coverage… but the ISPs will fine you, or cancel your service if you do it too much.
… No. Starlink is absolutely not ‘truly the only solution.’
As I already pointed out, there are other Satellite based internet providers. Yes, they generally are not as fast or inexpensive or have as good coverage as Starlink… but they do exist.
As far as 5G based net goes… actually, many, many parts of the world that have more recently gained wide spread internet access… have done so via 4g and 5g based data plans, which are often far less restrictive in terms of a hotspot limited data plan when connecting to other devices, than is common in say, the US.
There… is no real, technical reason a phone, with a 5g unlimited data plan… should have some arbitrary cap on ‘oh well this internet access isn’t allowed because it is going to another device!’
… Data caps in general are complete horseshit, anyone remember Net Neutrality?.. but I’m getting off topic.
It is way less expensive to set up a few cell phone towers in an area… than build out an entire physical line to every home and officr and factory.
And again, as I already stated… if you are in an area that actually has a solid 5g coverage map… there are many cases now where a home on the outskirts of a major metropolitan area can actually now choose a much faster and cheaper 5g gateway router thingy mabob over Starlink.
As far as I am aware, the only actually unique thing that Starlink offers is basically high speed internet, potentially literally anywhere, for something moving, like a seaborne vessel, or RV on the road… but I don’t know if that plan is actually still supported by Starlink, at least at a general public/consumer level.
I don’t know if anyone ever tried Starlink on a commercial airliner, my guess is that a jet would move too fast for it to really work that well, also possible interference problems with other electronic communications equipment on an aircraft.
This ‘internet in motion’ capability obviously has military applications… but it has become increasingly evident that this is a very bad fucking idea for many reasons… normally, militaries … have their own radio communications equipment, infrastructure, paradigms, that they much more thoroughly control.
You can technically, theoretically kind of do that with existing 5g based home internet plans in the US, anywhere there is 5g coverage… but the ISPs will fine you, or cancel your service if you do it too much.