Clarifying Starlink misconceptions in South Africa

system32 said:
X == Bad
Starlink == Good
Both owned by Musk
Make it make sense.
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X == Musk's addiction and place for him to openly share how much of a tool he is
Starlink == No involvement by Musk because he's too busy tweeting.

Easy peasy.
 
Looking at the commentators a clear indication how our education system has failed us. The 80% internet penetration is also nothing to write home about. Unless you have fibre the mobile connection is shite poor in most areas. They're also contradicting themselves, if Starlink isn't needed then simply nobody will use and nobody outside the country will make money.
 
deweyzeph said:
Yip, it's utterly bizarre that something so obviously beneficial for South Africa is being badmouthed on social media by anonymous people who either don't know what they're talking about or have who raise objections that make no sense whatsoever.

All 3 of the misconceptions raised in the article are things that are inconsequential if you choose not to use Starlink and just carry on with your life.

Too expensive? Fine then don't use it. Nobody is saying you must, but there are plenty of people who can afford it and want it.

Existing broadband is good enough? Well good for you, but that is objectively a lie, and nobody is stopping you from using existing broadband options.

Offers no economic benefit? This is the most outrageous lie of them all. Maybe no economic benefit to the existing vested interests that are scared of competition, but for average South Africans who can afford it living in rural areas with no broadband options at all this is the lifesaver they've been waiting for. And again, even this were true, so what? If it truly offers no economic benefit then what difference does it make to those objecting to it?
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Someone, a black guy, once commented that after apartheid black people stopped striving for anything. If you look at those commenting you'll see most of them are used to just Twitter/Facebook and watching a few Youtube videos with a pity data allowance. They have no idea of the concept of uncapped broadband because they don't strive for anything more in their lives than a garden job or building a house for someone else while living in a shack. I actually pity them for not even knowing what they don't have.

Someone here also said that the cellular networks have no skin in this and keeping Starlink out of SA as they don't provide service where Starlink oeprates. I don't buy this. If you look at shareholdings in our telecoms space there's a lot more vested interest than you know. Even if this wasn't the case there are many areas where the mobile cartels provide poor expensive service where they'll lose out to Starlink. On a whole mobile has become a begrudged purchase where fibre isn't available. A lot of those customers will leave their expensive fixed mobile packages if Starlink suddenly became available.
 
zolly said:
X user comments. Enough said. Can't wait for the site formerly known as Twitter to collapse under Musk's ego.
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Sure, that's going to happen. He fired 85% of all people. Still operating. With Tesla & SpaceX running. Just remember EM doesn't need SA. SA needs him, period. Don't see any real solution from anybody in SA. Are there any out there? Just asking.
 
Shadowchaser1 said:
Sure, that's going to happen. He fired 85% of all people. Still operating.
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It was **** before. Now it's a ****ing cesspool. It's making less money than before he took over and more and more advertisers are leaving the platform.

Shadowchaser1 said:
Just remember EM doesn't need SA. SA needs him, period. Don't see any real solution from anybody in SA. Are there any out there? Just asking.
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SA needs Starlink. Not EM.

Shadowchaser1 said:
With Tesla & SpaceX running.
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SpaceX is doing fine. Tesla seems to be slipping behind in EU. If you're buddies with Musk ask him how much work he actually does at these companies vs how much these companies could probably succeed without him as long as they had funding.
 
Lack of internet quite simply is a barrier to growth. Marginalised areas will remain marginalised.
 
zolly said:
X user comments. Enough said. Can't wait for the site formerly known as Twitter to collapse under Musk's ego.
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Ironically that's exactly what happened to it under Dorsey and co.
 
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