It’s time for Europe to choose between US or Chinese satellite tech, says FCC chair

European allies who have reservations about working with Elon Musk’s Starlink will have more to worry about if they side with Chinese satellite internet services, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr told the Financial Times. Carr said that politics having an influence on long-term decisions in Europe was “unfortunate,” and that “allied Western democracies” should instead be focusing on “the real long-term bogey: the rise of the Chinese Communist party.” “If you’re concerned about Starlink, just wait for the CCP’s version, then you’ll be really worried,” Carr told The Times. “If Europe has its own satellite constellation then great, I think the more the better. But more broadly, I think Europe is caught a little bit between the US and China. And it’s sort of time for choosing.” Starlink, which is owned by Musk’s SpaceX company, is the largest global satellite constellation operator, providing internet and limited mobile connectivity via a network of 7,135 satellites. ... Read full article.