Samantha Masunaga

When SpaceX’s broadband service starts mid-2020, the initial experience will be “bumpy,” company President Gwynne Shotwell said. However, she said she expects SpaceX to mature as an internet service provider by 2021. SpaceX has already launched two rounds of 60 satellites each. The company expects it will need 24 launches, with about 1,440 satellites, to have enough to provide full global coverage. SpaceX has not yet determined customer pricing.

SpaceX's goal is to sell broadband internet service delivered by more than 1,000 small satellites. But industry experts say the company’s biggest challenge is financial. SpaceX must drive down the cost of sophisticated hardware and software to the point where it can deliver fast, reliable internet service at a price point that competes with cable or fiber-delivered broadband services, while finding enough underserved markets to provide scale.

SpaceX’s plans are set to jump forward May 16 with a launch of 60 internet-beaming satellites. But don’t count out solar-powered, high-altitude drones — or giant balloons. Advances in solar-cell and battery technology have made those technologies more feasible. In April, Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank said it would partner with Simi Valley drone maker AeroVironment Inc to build a drone capable of flying to the stratosphere, hovering around an area for months and serving as a floating cell tower to beam internet to users on Earth.

The Federal Trade Commission confirmed that it has an opened a "non-public" investigation into Facebook Inc.'s privacy practices. The social media giant's stock quickly dropped more than 5 percent. It's now down more than 20 percent from its Feb. 1 high.

Verizon customers who have unlimited data plans and use more than 200 gigabytes a month will be required to switch to a capped data plan by Feb 16 or be disconnected from service. A letter notifying affected customers about the change started to go out last week, Verizon spokeswoman Kelly Crummey said. Those customers will also be notified on their bill statements. If they still have not made the switch by Feb 9, Verizon will send them a text message reminder, she said. Crummey said the change was made to “ensure the network works for all of our customers.” “If they’re using that much data, they’re taking up a lot of capacity on the cell tower, so other people who are trying to use the service within proximity of that cell tower may or may not be able to use that service,” she said.