If you lose Starlink, here are the best alternatives

For years, Ukrainian officials hinted that they are Work on Starlink alternatives. But the fact is that there are not many options on the table.

The most discussed person is oneweb, a satellite network owned by Eutelsat, the satellite operator in France. Like Starlink, this network depends on the small stations based One of the satellites that revolve at higher altitudes.

Joanna Darlington, an Eutelsat spokeswoman, says that OneWEB is providing coverage in Europe and that technology has already been published in Ukraine somewhat, although it refused to share the details. However, there are more than 40,000 stars stations in Ukraine, According to reportsTherefore, it is not possible to replace that network with OneWeb alternative overnight. “This is possible, but it is not instant coffee,” says Darlington. (The company claims Eutelsat’s OneWeb coverage in its competitors in Europe already.)

While Starlink stations are manufactured by Spacex, OneWeb Stations are provided by third -party companies. “We have shares from the stations that we can spread, although they add,” someone must pay for them. “

Poland and UsaidAmong other things, it helped fund Ukraine’s use of Starlink so far. Eutelsat currently In talks with the European Union More than oneweb in Ukraine.

Barry Evans, a professor of information systems engineering at Sari University, says that while OneWEB is entrusted, it is difficult to see how the Ukrainians, especially in the conditions of the battlefield, may depend on it in the same way that Starlink depends.

“We have one (one station) at the university, which is a completely complex process in terms of actually and moving,” he says. He adds that the terminal stations tend to be more than Starlink, and it may be difficult to move quickly in the conflict area, indicating that the OneWeb stations may be better published in constant locations on the buildings, for example.

“The other challenge is that the stations of the stations costing thousands of dollars instead of hundreds of dollars (for Starlink),” says Coelti. However, OneWEb is currently the “only option” available easily for Ukraine as an alternative.

This may change in the end. Amazon Quiber projectCompetition for Starlink, The first satellite satellites can later later this year. In the end, Project Kuper will have More than 3000 Satellite. However, Evans, Amazon is also noted an American company. If the United States government is under pressure from local companies to move away from Ukraine, Project Kuper may not be useful in the short term.

The European Union is working on Its private planet is a satellite for communicationsAnd Iris called². But it may not work until 2030 and will only display about 300 medium and low -Earth satellites. The satellite constellation size affects the communication and coverage speeds it provides. Starlink, for example, has already he has More than 7000 Satellite in orbit, although the network may need About 10,000 in total Before its coverage is really universal. Spacex suggested that it may be launched More than 40,000 satellitesIf you give permission to do this by the United Nations International Communications Union.

Andrew Cavallier, ABI Research, a technical intelligence company, says that SPACEX will prevent Ukrainians from reaching Starlink, but the current doubts about SpaceX reliability is an “waking up” call to countries that use the service, which may now increase increasingly in developing their own networks, and Satsy wires. Evans agree. He says: “The Ukrainian situation has brought it to the interface a little.” “People are very concerned about the domination of Starlink.”

In Ukraine, ADA Wordsworth says it is not aware of any alternative that can replace Starlink easily.

With the apparent appearance of Russia recently, it says that the general feeling of despair is taking place among the locals who returned home to the villages near the confrontation line. Many have no other place to go.

When I was asked what you would say to Elon Musk, she replied: “This is not a game. This is not a decision to be removed from the gallbladder or despite the distorted sense of power. This is the real people’s life.”