This will be huge i think ... https://www.pcmag.com/news/spacexs-satellite-internet-service-latency-comes-in-under-20-milliseconds
For retail screen jockeys like us, doubt it will mean anything at all. Why? Physiologically, an "intentional act" like being "trigger ready to click off a trade and then doing so"... takes an average of 300ms to execute.... that is the "time it takes from when you decide to click the mouse and then actually do it". A "surprise reaction to a stimulus"... takes an average of 700ms. Therefore the notion of "20ms latency" is likely irrelevant.
I see "Modification of KU/KA Band License" and sure hope it doesn't mess with my KA radar detector's performance. Otherwise like what I see so far.
Scataphagos, You are probably right. But still ... I live in a state that ranks 48th best in broadband speed / coverage. At this moment, my CenturyLink internet connection test at a mere 1.49 MBPS / 0.23 MBPS. That's the fastest speed they offer. Extended DSL they call it. Most days, my number of round trips exceed the number of minutes i am in front of the screen. For the longest while i thought poor internet was my weakest link. I even thought of getting an office in town, but winning days in a row are slowly convincing me that just maybe that's not an area i should be concerned. I do think he will have a ton of subscribers in the countryside. I will test it when it's available here.
That's lame, but I recall trading the ES on a 56k modem way back when... didn't seem to be a problem. Any kind of "latency" issue should even out. On some plays the latency will cost you a tic or two and at other times will gain you similar. Succeeding in trading has little to do with any aspect of "trade execution".
I've got quick reflexes, but just noticing a change and clicking mouse takes me 170ms's ( few years back ) Good for games, impressive compared to the Lag from higher up geostationary systems, enough to warrent 40K tiny cube sattelites up there ?? I'd say not. I'd double the height there at personally, so 40ms lag, make them slightly bigger for the power increase and maybe 10K of them. You realise, by the time there all sent they'll be sending replacements for the first 1's most likely, so constantly sending the up.
It's a huge deal birdman. Not for those who have good net infrastructure in their area, but for those of us (and I feel your pain because where I'm at I get 0.6 down / 0.2 up) it matters a lot. Hoping I get into the beta though most beta is being held for a higher longitude range. Life changing for me on multiple fronts. Musk can't take my money fast enough.