The Blockstream protocol for satellite services now allows you to download the full node without an Internet connection. What does this mean for Bitcoin users?
In short:
Everyone in the world now has the opportunity to use Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s vision has only one fundamental problem: what happens if the internet is cut off? The Blockstream satellite program solves this by transmitting Bitcoin’s blockchain to the entire planet via satellite, reducing BTC’s dependence on Internet access.
Blockstream, a Canadian technology company, has updated its satellite network that supports Bitcoin blockchain. The last update took place over 2 years ago. The current data rate is now 25 times faster and users can download full node without an Internet connection. Besides, changing the protocol to a newer one brings improvements in spectral performance and signal reliability.
The company rents 6 satellites that are used for blockchain transmission in Africa, Europe, North and South America and the Asia-Pacific regions.
Blockstream satellites and their network coverage. Source: https://blockstream.com/satellite/
Reasons for updating
In the Bitcoin blockchain network, nodes send transaction and block information to each other using a peer-to-peer protocol. Full nodes are essential for the operation of the Bitcoin network, support it and ensure security, and are responsible for transmitting new BTC transactions and blocks to the network. As the founders of Blockstream say, instead of requiring users to connect a full Bitcoin node to the Internet for initial synchronization, the new Blockstream Satellite 2.0 network offers complete synchronization.
Blockstream Satellite users can download the entire blockchain from the beginning to the latest transactions without an Internet connection after connecting a full node to the Bitcoin network.
Samson Mow, CSO for Blockstream and creator of the first game which use crypto in such a unique way, posted on the twitter that it takes less time to synchronize a full node with Blockstream Satellite 2.0 than it does to synchronize a full node with Ethereum over a broadband connection.
It takes less time to sync a new #Bitcoin full node over #BlockstreamSatellite than it does to sync a new Etherium full node over broadband. 📡🌏 https://t.co/CQHjHkGAp8
— Samson Mow (@Excellion) May 6, 2020
