SpaceX, Starlink public beta test started

SpaceX, a private space development company, has launched the satellite Internet Starlink service. It costs $99 per month, but you have to purchase the StarLink Kit, a set of user terminals that connect to a Wi-Fi router or satellite, for $499.

Starlink is to build an Internet network in space using 12,000 satellites launched in orbit. Facilities using existing fiber optic cables installed on the ground cannot provide Internet access to every corner of the world. However, Starlink is expected to provide an Internet connection environment at the same speed whether in the city or in the countryside by building an Internet network in space.

It was revealed through an email sent by Starlink to users that Starlink expanded the scope of the beta test conducted so far and started the public beta test. According to the email, StarLink is available for the Better Than Nothing Beta for $99 per month. However, in addition to the monthly fee, you will need to purchase a StarLink kit for an initial fee of $499. It includes a user terminal for satellite connection, a terminal-mounted tripod, and a Wi-Fi router. In addition, Starlink-only apps are already available for iOS and Android.

In addition, Starlink is providing Starlink beta test for employees, and according to anonymous reports, Starlink communication speed is about 60Mbps down and 18Mbps upstream. However, in the e-mail that Starlink announced in its public beta test, it is expected that the download speed will be reduced from 50Mbps to 150Mbps and the delay from 20 to 40ms in the next few months by strengthening the Starlink system. It was explained with the intention that the line speed will gradually increase along with the strengthening of facilities in the future. In addition, the initial service of Starlink’s public beta test targets the United States and Canada, and is expected to cover more countries and regions by 2021.

It was delivered to the person who agreed to receive the latest information by entering an email address on Starlink’s official website, which received a public beta test announcement. According to SpaceX, 700,000 people were interested in Starlink service as of August. .

According to SpaceX, building StarLink costs more than $10 billion. At the same time, however, Starlink has the potential to generate annual revenue of $30 billion, more than 10 times the annual revenue of the SpaceX rocket business. SpaceX has already launched nearly 900 satellites. Of course, it’s not enough to cover the world, but it’s enough to start service in some areas, including the northwestern United States.

SpaceX also announced a partnership with Microsoft in early October. It expanded Microsoft’s cloud service, Azure, and announced two services: Azure Orbital, a service that can transfer data from satellites to the cloud, and Azure Space, a satellite communication service business. Azure Space is a service that connects with Starlink to allow access to cloud and data centers from anywhere in the world. Related information can be found here .