[brianstorms]

I've been wondering if part of this SpaceX satellite gambit is to help Tesla Motors. Think about it: if and when there are 500,000 or a million or several million Tesla vehicles (including the Model 3) all over the world, plus thousands of SuperChargers, and they all need to be connected to the Net for messaging and value-added services, then what better way than to just have 'em connect to the SpaceX service?

Right now Tesla Model S vehicles connect via AT&T (at least in the US, don't know what the carriers are in other countries). It's a tiny number of "devices" connected to the network so it is probably expensive for Tesla. At some point it gets really expensive. One assumes the Model 3 will have the same always-on connection that the Model S/X has. Millions of Models S/X/3 around the world mean a lot of communications costs. And then there are the SuperChargers, that will in time no doubt be communicating with cars too, to improve the user experience.

I suspect a few million "devices" connected to the SpaceX version of global wifi would be way cheaper than connecting to a dozen or two carriers in countries around the world.

Just a theory.

[DenisM]

You're overestimating the cell connectivity costs. Amazon Kindle is permanently on 3g/4g, and the device itself costs less than $200.

[darkmighty]

The early models even had free unlimited worldwide 3g connectivity. Which of course was too expensive for such a cheap device, but shows that offering car connectivity really can't be so costly.

[skeletonjelly]

The content isn't that large, and I believe it was only free with the Keyboard version.

[stephentmcm]

Still free on the new 3g enabled models. But when you say 'free' it only allows you to browse Amazon and buy Amazon books so they just build the costs into those... So thanks to everyone who buys eBooks on Amazon and funds my Kindle DX's 3g connection :)

[brianbreslin]

amazon actually loses money on each kindle book. think about that.

[notatoad]

I'm pretty sure that isn't true

[brianbreslin]

http://www.teleread.com/ebooks/amazon-losing-money-on-999-e-... This is outdated from 2009, but the pricing is pretty close to this still.

[batiudrami]

ON all of them? Or just on those where they're trying to squeeze publishers?

[stevewilhelm]

SpaceX is currently charging $61 million per launch. [1] That's a lot of AT&T cell coverage.

[1] http://www.spacex.com/about/capabilities

[jzwinck]

If there are going to be thousands of Tesla cars in each city, maybe it would make more sense for them to create a mesh network and connect to the internet via Wi-Fi when parked (at Superchargers, at home, etc.). This could drastically reduce the cellular bandwidth required for less than the hundreds of millions of dollars required for a satellite solution.

[ohsnap]

Yeah I thought about that too. Would be very useful in remote areas. Probably won't work with the current batch of cars however.

With that said, telsa promised 3g free with the model s for another 4 years. Maybe timing with the satellites?

[vonklaus]

I think it is a lot more about providing communications to mars. They are basically doing a/b testing on earth for blanketing a planet in communication. Also, they could connect that network to mars to have interplanetary communication over something that resembles the internet. Tesla can lease bandwith (or have their users lease bandwith) much easier and cheaper than launching a fully fledged system like this

[dpods13]

How is this a/b testing?

[TeMPOraL]

Well, this is not exactly A/B testing (maybe a pilot program would be a better term), but as for the rest of your comment - I recall Musk saying something about Mars lacking Internet and him wanting to put it there.

[curiously]

or even delivering power wirelessly to the tesla cars!!!

that would be the ultimate end game move by Musk.