SpaceX to Bring Starlink Internet to Some US School Buses

• SpaceX is piloting a program to bring Starlink to school buses in some rural communities.
• On Tuesday, SpaceX sent a letter to the FCC urging it to approve funding for WiFi on school buses.
• In August, the FCC denied SpaceX an $866 million subsidy to provide service in remote areas.

SpaceX is piloting a plan to expand its satellite internet service to some U.S. school buses, it was reported Tuesday. archive In cooperation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The company told the FCC that it is currently working with school districts in rural areas of the country to provide students with SpaceX’s satellite internet service on buses, turning “ride time into connected time.” Elon Musk’s company told the FCC it is focusing the pilot program on bus routes that are more than an hour long and “mainly inaccessible to other mobile broadband services.”

“Many of the students most in need of support live far from school with long commutes and no internet connectivity,” SpaceX said in the filing, noting that many low-income students also No internet access at homeIt added: “There is no service better suited to bridging this neglected part of the job gap than Starlink.”

In the letter, SpaceX urged the FCC to approve federal funding to support WiFi for school buses. Earlier this year, FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel Announce A proposal to use funds from a program to equip schools and libraries with WiFi to provide connectivity on school buses.

Spokespeople for SpaceX and the FCC did not respond to Insider’s requests for comment ahead of launch.

SpaceX’s letter comes just a month after the FCC rejected an $866 million subsidy for Starlink’s services to rural America’s communities. The committee said the space company had “failed to demonstrate that suppliers could deliver the promised services” and labelled Starlink a “technology still in development.”

SpaceX was quick to hit back at the agency with its decision. The company called the FCC’s decision “very unfair” and “contrary to the evidence the company provided in its bid for subsidies.”

Musk’s company has only just received agree Plans from the FCC to use Starlink for moving vehicles in June. However, the service is continuing to grow. Last week, SpaceX performed a demonstration flight on a private jet to demonstrate Starlink’s capabilities at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Starlink currently has a user group Over 400,000 subscribers worldwide. The company has a network of more than 2,500 low-orbit satellites. The service is designed to provide high-speed internet up to 200 Mbps to customers in rural areas and high latitudes.