Internet Connectivity has become necessary to stay connected with the world these days. But there are regions in remote areas where the internet is not available. So, as a solution to this problem, Starlink is introduced. First, let’s know about Starlink and its availability in detail.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is the satellite network which is developed by a company known as SpaceX for providing low cost internet to remote locations all over the world. It is currently available in 25 countries and has 145,000 customers till now, and more numbers will be added in the future.
When will Starlink be available in my area?
Starlink is currently available in the Northern Latitudes in the US and other few selected areas. But the availability of Starlink is regularly expanding. If you want to find out when is Starlink going to be available in your area, you can check on Starlink’s official website https://www.starlink.com/.
You just have to put your address or Pincode on the ‘Order Starlink’ section . Once you have entered this, then it will give you the estimated date of when the Starlink will be available in your area. It also allows you to deposit $99 to book your spot on the Starlink Internet waitlist.
Where is Starlink internet available?
Starlink is currently available in only few countries as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regulations and other international treaties require landing rights from each country’s jurisdiction. However, here are the countries where Starlink is available.
Country – Debut
United States – November 2020
Canada – January 2021
United Kingdom – January 2021
Germany – March 2021
New Zealand – April 2021
Australia – April 2021
France – May 2021
Austria – May 2021
Netherlands – May 2021
Belgium – May 2021
Ireland – July 2021
Denmark – July 2021
Switzerland – August 2021
Portugal – August 2021
Chile – September 2021
Poland – September 2021
Italy – September 2021
Czech Republic – September 2021
Mexico – November 2021
Croatia – November 2021
Sweden – November 2021
Lithuania – December 2021
Spain – January 2022
Slovakia – January 2022
Slovenia – January 2022
What does Starlink look like?
Whenever any new object or thing is announced to be released, we become very curious to know more about it. So when heard about Starlink, even you might have a question in your mind like what does a Starlink satellite look like in the sky, what is the weight and many more.
The Starlink constellation features flat panel designs with one solar panel and weighs about 260 kg. They launch as stacked satellites without any dispenser and use krypton-fueled Hall thrusters for orbit adjustment, maintenance, and deorbiting. Star tracker is based on the Dragon navigation system. Satellites can avoid collisions on their own using uplinked tracking data. The Starlink satellites will be actively deorbited at the end of their lives, leading to reentry. Approximately 95 per cent of the material is expected to be burned.
Also, if you look in the sky at night, you can see a trail of white dots, which is nothing but Starlink’s satellites. There are around more the 10000 satellites in SpaceX’s constellation.
How will Starlink work?
To solve the issue of lagging and buffering caused by another satellite internet, SpaceX Starlink satellite operates at a lower orbit so that the users get the faster speed and better latency. But its consistency is still not good compared to cable internet.
The satellites are much closer to the earth, so they don’t have a similar large coverage area. Due to this, the company needs to launch many such smaller satellites, known as smallsats.
To help the satellites communicate with each other, the company has built gateways around the world so that they can exchange signals. They are currently experimenting with laser technology so that the satellites can communicate with each other directly without the need to use a gateway.
So once the Starlink users install the Starlink kit, the closest satellite is automatically located with the help of the antenna. As the satellites orbit is a chain, each satellite will find the next one, creating a continuous connection for the users.
At what latitude is Starlink available?
As of now, Starlink is available to customers who are living between 45 to 53 degrees latitude. However, as the satellite constellation is still building out further, more regions will be added until it is available to all the countries of the world.
How fast is Starlink’s internet speed?
Starlink has the fastest internet speed as compared to other satellite internet services. It provides the download speed of 100 Mbps to 200 Mbps, and the upload speed is around 25 Mbps with a latency of 20 ms in most locations. This speed is quite fast for performing office tasks, streaming videos, virtual learning or playing online games.
What is the cost of Starlink internet service?
Starlink internet service will cost $99 a month for basic internet service and a one-time hardware fee of $499. Recently, Starlink has developed a lighter dish than the previous one, but even that cost $499.
On the other hand, HughesNet internet service costs a $150 monthly fee with 50GB of high-speed data and 25Mbps. And it also has a lower latency that makes it a bit difficult to perform basic tasks.
Why do you need a clear ‘field of view’ to access the Starlink internet?
Starlink requires clear view to stay connected with the satellites when they move ahead. Objects like a roof, pole or tree branch in between Starlink and the satellite can interrupt their connection. Installing it on an elevated location like the roof can provide the best service. Also, you can use the Starlink App to find out the obstructions and check the areas from where you can get the best service.
Conclusion
Starlink is one of the trending satellite internet services these days. I hope this article has given you knowledge about Starlink’s availability, costing, speed, and more. It has its own pros and cons; therefore, think about it and then proceed with the purchase.