Satellite Internet… Am I Missing Something?

pegaxs on 25/09/2024 - 13:58
Last edited 26/09/2024 - 16:52 by 1 other user

Just went out walking after walking the kids to the bus stop this morning and took the long scenic way home and noticed that there are a heap of houses in my area that all have these “Starlink” (or whatever it is called) square satellite receivers either on top of their house, in their back yards or up on poles (one has it just sitting in their front yard). There were about 10 or so houses I saw and 3 of these are within 2 to 10 houses away from mine.

We get FTTP here on NBN and I’m on a 100/50(?) plan with no issues. There is no way that these houses don’t have access to the NBN, as one of these houses, the NBN box is literally at the front of their property…

So, what gives? With NBN fibre available to their houses, why are they using satellite internet? Is it faster? Is it cheaper? I could understand 1 house and a random receiver on the ground in their front yard (they have 2 caravans and trip away a lot) but the others, these receivers are fixed to something like a pole or roof…

Internet Broadband FTTP nbn Satellite Internet

Comments

  • easternculture on 25/09/2024 - 14:38
    +6

    They cant afford a Tesla so they buy Starlink, park it in the driveway so they look well of.

  • askbargain on 25/09/2024 - 14:48
    -4

    Might be time to downsize if you can’t afford to live in your neighbourhood

    • pegaxs on 25/09/2024 - 15:25
      +3

      Sooo… because I dont know what the possible benefits of these satellite receivers are over my current FTTP connection, you extrapolated that out to me not being able to afford to live in the area??

      Are you suggesting that I should forgo NBN fibre, just so I can pay more for a satellite receiver and per month access, just so I give the appearance that I can afford it, just so I dont have to downsize?

      I'm confused.

  • JIMB0 on 25/09/2024 - 15:09
    +1

    Maybe they're tin foil hat wearers that want uncensored internet access to share their conspiracy theories.

    • jv on 25/09/2024 - 15:14

      I just found where @pegaxs lives…

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snailbrook,_Texas

      • MS Paint on 25/09/2024 - 15:20

        Seems boring to me

        • Protractor on 25/09/2024 - 15:29

          Fits Musks persona quite well. And apparently he has disdain for the workforce>
          "Under the name “Project Amazing”, there are also plans to build a dense workers' housing estate of 110 houses*

    • Protractor on 25/09/2024 - 15:28

      More feasible reason.

    • geekcohen on 25/09/2024 - 17:25

      Not exactly possible since Starlink has to comply with local laws like other ISPs. Regardless of the country, they need to comply with local government laws/rules/guidelines.

  • netjock on 25/09/2024 - 15:16
    +1

    You just never know people and their relationship with money.

    • jv on 25/09/2024 - 15:29
      +3

      💰

    • Protractor on 25/09/2024 - 15:35

      "You just never know people and their relationship with money couch."

  • AustriaBargain on 25/09/2024 - 15:32
    -1

    They are spies for Elon Musks secret militia. They are waiting for the codeword to come through the satellites.

  • airzone on 25/09/2024 - 16:17
    +3

    A dude down the road from us (we've had FTTP for ~10 years on my street) has one. He also has a caravan that he built, but has never taken out of his driveway. I presume at some point he's going to do a road trip.

    I can't think of any other possible reason why a sensible person would use starlink in a fixed location with FTTP..

  • geekcohen on 25/09/2024 - 17:23
    1. Could be Fixed Wireless like others have said?
    2. Could it be a Point to Point provider like Swoop or someone else?
    3. Could be that these areas/places are not serviced by NBN? Could it be an estate where NBN wasn't serviced/installed and a private provider is in there who provides crap service? I had a customer with RedTrain, and they got Starlink because the fibre was crap.
    4. It could be that, by chance, there were issues during construction, and no lines were in. I had another customer who had their NBN line cut during driveway construction and another who had no line at all from a sub-division. Some people might require a new line to be run to the property to get Fibre. My Dad has that. He has Fibre straight past his front doorstep, but it requires a 10-meter trench to get Fibre.
    5. Where is this? Could explain a bit more as well.
  • Nillionaire on 25/09/2024 - 18:36
    +1

    I named my wifi Starlink because it sounds better than the default jumble.

  • mantra on 25/09/2024 - 19:01
    +3

    you enter your neighbours address on these websites to confirm which nbn infrastructure they have access to

    • pegaxs on 25/09/2024 - 19:17

      Entered into the Lukeprior one and they all either have FTTP or FTTP Upgrade. Only one house in my whole housing estate area has a red dot and it is not one of the houses that has a satellite receiver.

      The house 2 doors up from me and the one 10 houses up from me DOES have "FTTP" (dark green dot on Lukeprior/purple dot on rinseout) and both of these houses have satellite receivers. The others are a mix of FTTN 90+mb, FTTN 50+mb or FTTP.

  • Matrix Attack on 25/09/2024 - 20:34
    -7

    There are some sites you cannot access in Australia even after changing your dns settings.

    VPNs can sell the de-identified data to databrokers from intelligence agencies can re-identify the final target.

    TOR is an alternative but you have to deal with captchas and possible malicious exit nodes.

    Starlink will not turn over your data to the authorities.

    • ThadtheChad on 26/09/2024 - 09:22
      +3

      Goddamn this is something.

      Are you for real?

      Starlink will not turn over your data to the authorities.

      Any ISP operating in Australia needs to comply with Lawful Intercept and comply with warrants.

      Edit: Here you go - from earlier in the year
      https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacex-prepares-to-comply-with-la…

      • Bruceflix on 26/09/2024 - 12:29
        +2

        Starlink also complies with the mandatory 2 year metadata retention and handover that data to prescribed authorities without warrants.

        • ThadtheChad on 26/09/2024 - 12:44

          Well, there we have it.

          If Matrix Attack wants to check our sus shit on the internet, they will need to go use an open AP and use a VPN in say Russia to do it… just like the rest of us.

    • Jared17 on 16/11/2024 - 02:59

      Google, Microsoft and Facebook have links and contracts to the US government. They know all my details already

  • apiecost on 25/09/2024 - 21:07
    +1

    Might be a really great wireless ISP in your area that people were with before the NBN, and they can't be stuffed changing?

  • Daabido on 25/09/2024 - 23:23
    +2

    Can't we all just get along and enjoy Malcolm Turnbull's Mess?

    • R4 on 26/09/2024 - 11:59
      -2

      And Kevin Rudd before him. He started the mess and Turnbull messed up the mess even more.

      We live in an age of weak leaders.

      • ozbargainer88 on 26/09/2024 - 15:57
        +2

        Kevin Rudd? Explain how FTTP is anything but the best technology choice.

        • R4 on 26/09/2024 - 16:55
          -2

          The business model of the NBN was shockingly bad

          • ozbargainer88 on 26/09/2024 - 17:01
            +2

            @R4: FTTP from the beginning? Instead of spending a lot of money on maintaining the degrading shit copper that is now being replaced with FTTP anyway?

            • R4 on 26/09/2024 - 17:07
              -3

              @ozbargainer88: The business model of the NBN was shockingly bad

  • Davo1111 on 26/09/2024 - 02:09
    +3

    Maybe a VIP and requires redundancy.

    Maybe a nerd and is okay spending more

    The ozb deals seem to be popular

  • mikekiwimike on 26/09/2024 - 09:50
    +1

    Starlink is faster than 100/50 but not faster than the new connections being rolled out in Melbourne at least where they claim 1000Mb per sec downloads ….. I don’t think I have seen that but still over 6-700 Mbps is normal for us now.

    Latency is not as good though on Starlink and I would not think it is great for gaming, for people outside the city though having Starlink as an option is a game changer because there are limited other options.

  • WT on 26/09/2024 - 10:45

    house sat a semi rural property (hunter valley) for just over a week, at times it was pretty bad streaming

    Better then nothing, but if it was me id probably look into a mobile plan, neighbour pays $180 per month, 2 phones, unlimited talk and text and internet to their house and mobile data (unsure amount)

    I just cancelled our NBN as I have a about 200gb banked on my data I want to use up. Getting a bit of inconsistency with mate so will try a new ISP when hooking back up

  • apple2016 on 26/09/2024 - 11:18
    -3

    NBN fibre available to their houses

    Because NBN/Telstra's customer service and service is pathetic at best!.

  • 2025 on 26/09/2024 - 13:21

    Various people here, there, everywhere continually state wireless is the future, it’s a better technology, faster etc, tell us the entire NBN is doomed, a woeful product, a waste of money, and so these households that aren’t well educated on internet technologies believe the wireless bs hype and sign up.

  • joelmuzz on 26/09/2024 - 13:46

    Maybe they actually cant get NBN, the box may be there but maybe the cable got cut or botched rollout?

    It may also be more attractive to renters, especially students who are only doing 6 month leases.
    The one just sitting in the yard especially, no dramas with a landlord who wont approve NBN box install.
    Just temporary setup and then take it with you to next rental.

  • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 16:11

    It is lower speeds, higher latency. However I know a few people who can get FTTP but seem in love with Musk, the thing could operate at dialup speeds and they would still buy it and claim it is better.

  • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 17:27
    -2

    It’s all about the upload

    • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 17:59

      Soooo they like the slower upload speeds?

      • UltimateAI on 26/09/2024 - 18:42
        -3

        No Starlink offers faster upload than nbn. Theoretically nbn could offer 1gbps but they don’t.

      • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 19:51
        -1

        Speed is not the only limiting factor. Allowance is also important. Most ISP advertise unlimited upload and download.

        But if you are strain (upload Terabytes month-say video editor-)on the network may place you in pool of other high uploaders or downloaders where your internet speeds MAY BE curtailed at periods of high demand. Or if particular node is nearing capacity.

        As far as I am aware Starlink does not do this. However may still happen not deliberately just because of the sheer nature of satellite connections

        • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 19:56
          -1

          Starlink has a fair use policy just like any other provider.

          • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 19:56
            -1

            @gromit: Yes but are very lenient compared to NBN

            • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 19:58

              @justgooddeals: As are most premium ISPs, this is not something special starlink does.

              • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 20:06
                -1

                @gromit: I have heard of all sorts of ISP (premium or not) within NBN network putting high demand users under bandwidth restrictions and blaming NBN or not admitting their is problem at all. Or even stating that no such policy exists. No ISP premium or not wants high demand users that download and upload Terabytes a month consistently month after month.

                I have not heard of Starlink doing this. However know they have fair use policy and will probably just disconnect your link

                • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 20:12

                  @justgooddeals: perhaps you need to do a bit more research. plenty of us actually work from home. my average usage ranges for 500gb to 5-7TB a month upload and similar for download, never had a problem. This is exactly what the large upload bandwidth plans are for.

                  • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 20:28
                    -1

                    @gromit: Good for you. Common sense tells me that no ISP wants users who download 10 to 20 times what the average user does month after month. Yet they advertise unlimited. So restrict those users with/or by other unadvertised means.

                    But believe what you want

                    • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 20:32
                      -1

                      @justgooddeals: you seem desperate to believe what you want lol. unlike you I can go off evidence. e.g. Aussie has only reportedly ever banned one user under fair use which was for intentionally using as much bandwidth as he could for the hell of it, after which Aussie stated they don't mind how much legitimate traffic you have but abusing their bandwidth just for the hell of it is not ok. common sense would tell you starlink data is far more likely to be restricted which they have definitely already done in other countries

                      • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 20:33
                        -1

                        @gromit: It’s what I have been told and makes sense. So not matter of belief

                        • gromit on 26/09/2024 - 20:34
                          -1

                          @justgooddeals: then you have probably been told by poorly informed people.

                          • justgooddeals on 26/09/2024 - 20:36
                            -2

                            @gromit: As opposed to some random on the internet. Like you.

                            That’s why I said believe what you want

  • Hangryuman on 26/09/2024 - 18:00
    -4

    squeaking of satellites - not Starlink but apparently a feature of the new iPhone iOS18 I just downloaded yesterday -

    'If you've got an iPhone 14 or later, you can take advantage of Messages via satellite, which lets you connect over iMessage even without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. Instead, you're using satellites, as the name of the feature confirms, and you get the full benefit of the iMessages platform when texting other iPhone users — that means emoji and tapbacks in addition to text messages. (Texting with a non-iPhone user? You can still send and receive messages using SMS.)' - https://www.tomsguide.com/phones/iphones/ios-18

    'The OS also brings Messages via satellite to many iPhones. The feature works similarly to Apple's Emergency SOS via satellite feature introduced on the iPhone 14 and 15 series. Emergency SOS is for making an emergency call even if you don't have a signal, but Messages via satellite will let you send a message to anyone, even without a signal. So you can message your spouse or parents to let them know how your camping trip is going.' - https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/ios-18-your-…

    • xsacha on 26/09/2024 - 20:10
      +1

      Not related to this discussion at all

  • UltimateAI on 26/09/2024 - 18:42
    -3

    Content creators or people that need fast uploads. Starlink the latency is good for gaming and excellent speeds. Sure nbn FTTP has lower latency but zero real world difference for many people.

  • UltimateAI on 26/09/2024 - 19:22
    -3

    If the nbn box is out the front then that is FTTN nothing to do with FTTP. Now they may be entitled to a FTTP upgrade but just pointing out the box is for FTTN. Starlink latency is better than FTTN measured to target infra in the USA.

    FTTP is great though, that’s what I have, formerly FTTN.
    Parents have fixed wireless that is absolute garbage. NBN satellite is useless.

    • 2025 on 27/09/2024 - 05:59

      lol wut the “NBN Utility Box” has been a thing outside with FTTP for over 10 years where have you been? Check this old guide for FTTP

      https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco/documents/NBN589%…

      • UltimateAI on 27/09/2024 - 06:26

        Bit harsh now, op’s wording “ as one of these houses, the NBN box is literally at the front of their property” this does not imply utility box, which in 99% of cases is attached to the front of the residence not property. NBN utility box should be on most of the properties, not one.
        I think it’s more likely this area was fttn and perhaps only recently FTTP. Nothing else explains why Starlink is so popular.

        • 2025 on 29/09/2024 - 11:51

          I think you illustrated my earlier point about misunderstanding the technology, you claimed FTTP is limited to 50mbit upload, that Starlink is better for uploads, so it’s easy to see how mis information has lead these households to look at the inferior Starlink instead of FTTP

          It seems you are correct about it being FTTN initially, from OP:

          Entered into the Lukeprior one and they all either have FTTP or FTTP Upgrade. Only one house in my whole housing estate area has a red dot and it is not one of the houses that has a satellite receiver.

          The house 2 doors up from me and the one 10 houses up from me DOES have "FTTP" (dark green dot on Lukeprior/purple dot on rinseout) and both of these houses have satellite receivers. The others are a mix of FTTN 90+mb, FTTN 50+mb or FTTP.

          So to me it just reinforces my suspicion that all the misinformation and bad advice on internet forums, conversations with ill informed mates, etc may have lead the households to the decision to go Satellite, simply because they were unaware that a superior tech was already at their front door.

          • UltimateAI on 29/09/2024 - 13:20

            @2025: Valid point was clearly wrong an out nbn having faster than 50mbps upload plans. only valid if FTTP was available, which it probably wasn’t if the area was FTTN.
            From personal experience, the NBN tech, Telstra. Aussie, Optus and Superloop all state that 1 gig/50mbps was the fastest speed possible under the nbn (for now) were their words.
            As someone who was on FTTN, it’s really crap if you are any distance from the node or have poor copper.

  • cfuse on 27/09/2024 - 14:12

    Who doesn't want their filth to be beamed directly from orbit?

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