Is SpaceX’s New and Amazing Starlink Satellite Internet Service Right For You?

Look for SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service in late 2021 at the earliest and a price of around $99 a month for six months. Although we don’t have a day or month to date on when Starlink will be available nationwide, this is still the year many expect to have Starlink’s service available. Even though Starlink’s primary market has always been in outer space enthusiasts, it has moved further underground, with more households accessing satellite Internet.

Not only is satellite Internet more reliable and faster than dial-up, but Starlink satellite internet service also provides more bang for your buck. You get the reliability and speed of a high-speed Internet connection without the monthly fees and without having to deal with installation and clutter.

 

Starlink Satellite Internet Service Brief History

Though the United States has been working on SpaceX’s satellite Internet system for several years, it is only recently that Musk revealed that Starlink was going into production with the same company. It had been reported that Musk and his partners had decided to move all remaining satellites into orbit around the Earth from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This will reduce the time it takes for an internet signal to travel from one end of the globe to the other. With less latency and less bouncing, the entire process should be much faster, which means faster download and upload times for users.

 

Musk did reveal, however, that two of the satellites will be launched into orbit around the side of the Earth away from the equator. He did not say why SpaceX would launch these two satellites first. One of the primary reasons some users have slow connections is that there are fewer satellites in a given area. When the two satellites start to go up, the amount of available broadband will dramatically increase.

 

However, many people may question how the company plans to deploy this technology into orbit. They have designed their system to allow for much more hops between servers than is currently used. In other words, while they have three types of satellites, each one is designed to take about ten seconds to reach its optimal speed. With fiber optic technology, they should be able to shave off about half a second per hop, making the whole process much faster. Of course, this will require some modifications to the current network in place at present.

 

The good news is that Musk said that he would let the beta testers know just what improvements are being made. They will also be allowed to try them out for a few months. It will be interesting to see just what those changes are. For example, the company has already announced that they are working on the second set of satellites to increase the bandwidth that can be supported. It will be interesting to see how those numbers change once Starlink’s satellite internet service offers faster speeds.

 

Starlink Satellite Internet Service Compared to Other ISPs

There is typically a tiny latency loss in the current system when two satellites are placed close together. In other words, it is not instant. But with the new beta testing, the latency should be up to two hundred milliseconds, considerably less than what is used today. The company hopes this slight difference will encourage people to switch from dial-up service to satellite internet.

 

Currently, most Internet connections are supplied by dial-up lines, which are pretty slow. It takes thirty to ninety seconds to transfer the data from the Internet server to the user’s computer. With the beta testers, however, the connection is reported to be at least ten times faster. Because the Starlink satellites are in a stationary orbit above the Earth, they do not experience atmospheric pressure, which is necessary for ensuring an accurate connection. This means that the connection is never interrupted by atmospheric conditions.

 

Because satellite broadband Internet does not utilize the same equipment costs that dial-up does, the Starlink broadband Internet system has a twofold advantage over other companies. Unlike dial-up service, which uses expensive equipment, the Starlink system makes use of equipment readily available for a low initial investment. Also, because there are no long-distance charges, there is no equipment cost associated with Starlink satellite internet service.

 

Many customers are willing to forego the expensive equipment cost and choose this type of service because of these factors. The extra cost is well worth it, though, as you’ll be able to take advantage of everything this excellent service offers. You won’t regret your decision if you’re getting a good deal on the fees.

 

Starlink Satellite Internet Service Pros and Cons

Unfortunately, there’s still one problem that the company has yet to solve. There aren’t many Starlink satellite internet service beta testers, meaning that the company is working on launching a special program to test out the service before it goes live. You should have no problem getting the service if you live close to the equator. However, if you’re not near the equator or far enough south for optimal download speeds, you might have to wait longer. In fact, according to Starlink’s technical support department, there will only be two Beta Test Launches this month, one in Atlanta and one in Salt Lake City.

 

There aren’t many beta testers for the Starlink satellite internet service launch due to the complexity of laying down a constellation of satellites that will support the internet service. This system requires precise timing, so the satellites must be placed, so they’re always in the right spot to give customers service. Plus, the technology needed to put these satellites into orbit and keep them there needs to be worked out, something that the satellite company that makes up Starlink is working hard to achieve.

 

If you live in an area where high-speed satellite internet access is critical, this probably isn’t an option. Still, the company is working hard to improve its satellite positioning, and eventually, all the satellite services worldwide will be able to offer this high-speed Internet access.

 

The good news is that the Starlink satellite internet service is straightforward to install and works great once installed. Users connect their internet devices to the special hardware and then plug them into the back of the Starlink user terminals. The Starlink equipment costs much less than your average satellite dish, and users don’t have to worry about compatibility issues with the company’s other equipment. As soon as the Starlink beta tests go live, the company will provide lots of information about the installation and the benefits of using their equipment over the competition.