News
Starlink competitor Xfinity launches data caps, which SpaceX says it will not use
SpaceX’s Starlink project has a series of main competitors in the internet market, one of the largest being Comcast’s Xfinity. The Philadelphia-based Comcast recently announced that twelve U.S. states would be subjected to data caps in 2021, or limits on the amount of data one household will have access to before being charged extra fees. Statements from the company have described anything over 1.2 terabytes of data usage accessible with additional fees of $10 per extra 50 GB.
The extra charges for additional data usage are somewhat staggering, considering many households’ current economic situation and the fact that local governments are advising many residents to remain indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This leaves many people at home for work and leisure, with the internet being one of the few constants that remain in everyday life. While cellular devices are usually connected to residential Wi-Fi, other devices, such as smart TVs and streaming devices, are constantly connected to at-home networks, leaving the amount of data being used on a constant rise.
But surprisingly, this fact is not recognized by Comcast, nor is it stopping them from implementing the data caps in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, as well as parts of North Carolina and Ohio, The Verge originally reported.
Comcast to impose home internet data cap of 1.2TB in more than a dozen US states next year https://t.co/nsQqyixDH2 pic.twitter.com/rv0XVeqKsb
— The Verge (@verge) November 24, 2020
In fact, it could be a way to combat customers from leaving Comcast’s television subscription services in favor of more affordable and flexible streaming options that are offered by platforms like Hulu and YouTube. The streaming services operate through a streaming device, like an Apple TV or Roku device, and use data to operate. This all contributes to a house’s data usage, and because of its ability to broadcast live television programs, it will use a substantial amount of internet data over the course of the month.
Comcast says that its average customer uses 308GB per month and that 95 percent of its customers do not get close to using the 1.2 TB threshold. But no statistic measures the data used in homes with more than one internet user or outlines the number of devices used in a home. With more people teleworking and having to rely on the home internet for productivity, the data usage is likely higher than normal.
All of these scenarios bode well for Elon Musk’s Starlink internet satellite program, which is currently operating in the Beta stage. Interestingly, Starlink Engineers performed an Ask Me Anything session on the r/Starlink subreddit and revealed that the satellite internet infrastructure would not use data caps when it enters public operation. The company intends to keep the service free of caps and added that it would only be implemented if technically necessary.
The company wrote:
“So we really don’t want to implement restrictive data caps like people have encountered with satellite internet in the past. Right now we’re still trying to figure a lot of stuff out–we might have to do something in the future to prevent abuse and just ensure that everyone else gets quality service.”
SpaceX’s intention with Starlink was to provide internet service to rural and remote areas. But now that the service is being launched and tested in high population areas like Los Angeles, it is obvious that Starlink will aim to serve every human being on Earth. As long as data caps continue to remain out of Starlink’s plans, there is a good chance that many customers of large Internet Service Providers will switch over to the more affordable and more forgiving Starlink service.
Elon Musk
SpaceX weighs Nasdaq listing as company explores early index entry: report
The company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly leaning toward listing its shares on the Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could become the largest in history.
As per a recent report, the company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The update was reported by Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.
According to the publication, SpaceX is considering Nasdaq as the venue for its eventual IPO, though the New York Stock Exchange is also competing for the listing. Neither exchange has reportedly been informed of a final decision.
Reuters has previously reported that SpaceX could pursue an IPO as early as June, though the company’s plans could still change.
One of the publication’s sources also suggested that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion for its IPO. At that level, the company would rank among the largest publicly traded firms in the United States by market capitalization.
Nasdaq has proposed a rule change that could accelerate the inclusion of newly listed megacap companies into the Nasdaq-100 index.
Under the proposed “Fast Entry” rule, a newly listed company could qualify for the index in less than a month if its market capitalization ranks among the top 40 companies already included in the Nasdaq-100.
If SpaceX is successful in achieving its target valuation of $1.75 trillion, it would become the sixth-largest company by market value in the United States, at least based on recent share prices.
Newly listed companies typically have to wait up to a year before becoming eligible for major indexes such as the Nasdaq-100 or S&P 500.
Inclusion in a major index can significantly broaden a company’s shareholder base because many institutional investors purchase shares through index-tracking funds.
According to Reuters, Nasdaq’s proposed fast-track rule is partly intended to attract highly valued private companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to list on the exchange.
Elon Musk
The Boring Company’s Prufrock-2 emerges after completing new Vegas Loop tunnel
The new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.
The Boring Company announced that its Prufrock-2 tunnel boring machine (TBM) has completed another Vegas Loop tunnel in Las Vegas. The company shared the update in a post on social media platform X.
According to The Boring Company’s post, the new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.
The new tunnel marks the fourth tunnel constructed near Westgate Las Vegas as the Vegas Loop network continues expanding across the city.
The Boring Company also noted that the new tunnel surpassed its previous internal record of 2.26 miles for a single Vegas Loop segment.
Construction of the tunnel involved moving roughly 68,000 cubic yards of dirt. The excavation process also used about 4.8 miles of continuous conveyor belt, powered by six motors totaling 825 horsepower.
The Boring Company’s Prufrock-series all-electric tunnel boring machines are designed to support the rapid expansion of company’s underground transportation projects, including the growing Vegas Loop network. Prufrock machines are designed for reusability, thanks in no small part to their capability to be deployed and retrieved easily through their “porposing” feature.
The Vegas Loop, specifically the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop segment, has already been used during major events. Most recently, the LVCC Loop supported the 2026 CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show, which was held from March 3-7, 2026.
As per The Boring Company, the LVCC Loop transported roughly 82,000 passengers across the convention center campus during the event’s duration.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America, drawing more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries this year.
The LVCC Loop forms the initial segment of the broader Vegas Loop network, which remains under active development as The Boring Company continues building new tunnels throughout the city.
News
Tesla gathers Cybercab fleet in Gigafactory Texas
Images and video of the Cybercab fleet were shared by longtime Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer in posts on social media platform X.
Tesla appears to be assembling a growing number of Cybercabs at Gigafactory Texas as preparations continue for the vehicle’s mass production. Recent footage shared online has shown over 30 Cybercabs being transported by trucks or staged near testing areas at the facility.
The images and video were shared by longtime Giga Texas observer and drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer in posts on social media platform X.
Interestingly enough, Tegtmeyer noted that many of the Cybercabs being loaded onto transport trucks were still equipped with steering wheels. This suggests that the vehicles are likely testing units rather than the final driverless configuration expected for the company’s Robotaxi service.
The vehicles could potentially be headed to testing sites across the United States as Tesla prepares to expand its Robotaxi fleet.
Additional footage captured at Gigafactory Texas also showed the Cybercab’s side and rear camera washer system operating as vehicles were being loaded onto transport trucks.
The growing number of Cybercabs at Giga Texas comes amidst the company’s announcement that the first production Cybercab has been produced at the facility. Full Cybercab production is expected to begin in April.
The vehicle is expected to play a central role in Tesla’s Robotaxi ambitions as the company looks to expand autonomous ride-hailing operations beyond its early deployments using Model Y vehicles.
Tesla has also linked Cybercab production to its proposed Unboxed manufacturing process, which assembles large vehicle modules separately before integrating them. The approach is intended to reduce production costs and accelerate output.
Musk has also noted that the Cybercab’s ramp will likely begin slowly due to the number of new components and manufacturing steps involved. However, he stated that once the process matures, Cybercab production could scale quickly.