Is someone else getting the contract or are rural folks SOL?
Both....................
SOL. Nobody is going to extend modern broadband connections out to rural areas that were to be served by Starlink any time soon.
Many of these areas’ only other option was to buy the much older Hughesnet (and descendant) satellite internet systems which cost far more and required... about the same equipment investment. Oh, and they’re basically right on par with old dialup speeds, especially on upload.