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Microsoft Hooked the Government on Its Products With Freebies. Could Elon Musk's Starlink Be Doing the Same?


Published on 2025-04-05 05:20:33 - ProPublica
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  • The tech billionaire and Trump adviser "donated" Starlink service to the White House. The move resembles a previous maneuver by Microsoft, which used "free" trials to lock in costly upgrades across the federal government.

Elon Musk's Starlink project, aimed at providing global internet coverage through a constellation of satellites, has been a subject of interest and concern for various stakeholders, including the Trump White House and competitors like Microsoft. In 2019, the Trump administration expressed worries about Starlink's potential to interfere with other satellite systems and national security, prompting discussions between SpaceX and government officials. Meanwhile, Microsoft, which has its own satellite internet ambitions, has been critical of Starlink, citing concerns over space debris and the monopolistic control of internet access from space. Despite these challenges, SpaceX has continued to launch Starlink satellites, with Musk emphasizing the project's potential to bridge the digital divide and provide internet access to underserved regions worldwide.

Read the Full ProPublica Article at:
[ https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-starlink-trump-white-house-spacex-microsoft ]