FCC Denies $886M Subsidy for SpaceX's Starlink Rural Broadband
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a final denial of Starlink's application for $885 million in public funds to expand its satellite internet service to rural areas in the US. The FCC stated that Starlink "failed to demonstrate that it could deliver the promised service" and cited financial and technical deficiencies in the company's proposal. Starlink had argued that it had plans to launch more satellites and expand its network, but the FCC deemed the company incapable of fulfilling the requirements. The decision comes as a blow to Starlink, but the company has recently reached breakeven cash flow and has been serving half a million subscribers.