Blocking Starlink access in iOS 18.3

IdrisSeabright wrote:

Lawrence Finch wrote:

Dunning-Kruger Effect.

Doesn't Dunning-Kruger assume that the person is an expert in a different field?

Does believing you're an expert at being an expert qualify?

Jeff Donald wrote:

No, the actual test study was the invisible bank robber in Pittsburgh, PA. It’s someone that knows a very small amount of something and then thinks they’re an expert. The graph looks like this.

Well, apparently I knew a small amount bout the Dunning-Kruger Effect and thought I knew much more. ;-)

Thank you!

If enough people actually officially submit feedback to Apple (and not just talk about it in forums or social media), there’s a better likelihood that they will get the message and make changes. I often forget to actually contact the company I’m upset with, but it’s what makes an impact.

There are no changes that Apple can make. Apple has not partnered with Starlink. T-Mobile is offering the service to their subscribers and it doesn’t matter the brand of cellphone. So, Apple iPhone owners, Samsung phone owners etc. will have access to the service if they are a T-Mobile subscriber.

If you’re a t-mobile subscriber consider switching to AT&T or Verizon. But will be offering satellite service from different providers in the near future.

If Apple just enabled some hardware/software needed to connect to starlink only, that’s highly concerning. If it can connect to any satellite not limited to starlink / only limited by carrier, then sure that’s fine — if it’s actually optional. 

We know Apple devices can be tracked even when location is disabled and when phone is off.. and often, not all features that facilitate surveillance without consent are fully advertised to public. Also sneaking in Apple intelligence (forced on us through the update), and not giving a heads up is also suspect. And the CEO donating a million $ to the pres inauguration party to signal compliance with an authoritarian regime is also highly concerning. People have reason to be concerned. That is the point. And they don’t want more of their private info stolen by apartheid techno-brat billionaire oligarchs. 

Folks may be somewhat misinformed about how this satellite service works, but a lot of the folks getting lost in semantics here are missing the bigger sentiment and message. However, the clarity is appreciated and I’m sure folks get it now from you and several others sharing the same explanation. 

The bigger message that might be getting lost is that people are pushing back on anything possibly associated with starlink / musk or his rich buddies. Hopefully Apple gets that larger message. 

[Edited by Moderator]

Jeff Donald wrote:

Your iPhone has a radio/modem that’s a chip inside your iPhone. It receives specific channels or wavelengths. This is just like the FM radio in your car.

The radio in an iPhone is completely different than the FM radio in your car. For one thing, the iPhone can transmit. So there's that. For another, you can (in theory at least) roll up your windows and listen to the radio in private. No one will ever know what station you are listening to.

The radio connections made by your iPhone are completely different. Every packet of data is tracked from point A to point B, both receiving and transmitting. Your location is tracked too. Someone always knows what data you are sending and what data you are receiving. So the key question here is "who knows"?

T-Mobile has the exclusive rights to the 1900 MHz frequencies. The FCC HAS granted Space X (Starlink) to use that band for direct to cellular service.

What's this obsession with T-Mobile all about anyway? Has no one ever heard of cellular roaming? Unless someone configures their phone in a very specific way, they really have no choice about which cellular data providers their phone is going to communicate with. It's all based on peering agreements, your data plan, distance from towers, over-subscriptions, etc.

Granted, I doubt many people are going to be roaming on T-Mobile. That was always my service of choice when I lived in the US. And boy was it bad. I just didn't need to make a lot of phone calls so I didn't want to pay AT&T prices. But it was annoying to be constantly surrounded by annoying people talking loudly on their cell phones when I could never make a call on my T-Mobile. 😄

If you don’t want Starlink, don’t subscribe to T-Mobile.

What if someone is already 3 months into a 4 year contract? If they're locked into T-Mobile, but want a new phone, and don't want any Starlink connection, then they might need to go Android shopping.

Feb 2, 2025 3:25 PM in response to Zachyy

Thanks!

I strongly suggest NOT updating to 18.3 until we know more, we must try and learn more about this before upgrading

Car Phones have been around since 1946.

True, but they weren't cellular.

I remember those, the gray plastic flip phones.

And they cost as much as iPhones do today, adjusting for inflation. Service was $250 a month for 50 minutes of talk time, no text yet.

Yes, and we paid 25 cents a minute for premium talk time & 10 cents a minute after 8:00pm and weekends

🤣

So you mean you trust only Apple for your information?

how about google?

Your ISP?

your smart tv?

your gadgets?

They have instructions on how to not use the Starlink. You can use the toggle to NOT use it