[bmitc]

If the service is so awesome, why does it need a billion dollar subsidy, i.e., free money paid for by taxpayers?

[pmorici]

It doesn't. This was originally legislated as a hand out to legacy telecom companies that lobbied for it. Seeing as it exists though I would rather the money be spent with the best option instead of it being used as a political retribution fund.

[bmitc]

So the requirements set out however long ago that Starlink agreed to and now isn't meeting is political retribution? How so?

[pmorici]

Because the obligation was to meet the requirements in 2025 and FCC basically just subjectivity said 2 years before the deadline they don’t think they will.

[nomel]

I'm curious what happens if they actually do hit the targets, in 2 years.

[nicce]

Some other company could take it happily and increase the competition. Maybe even provide better results, while it might take some time.

[brandonagr2]

Heavy emphasis on maybe, do you think legacy telecoms have a history of actually delivering on rural broadband deployment promises?