Starlink is the project of SpaceX focusing on developing low latency, broadband internet to use across the globe. It is aimed to be accessed even in those regions where getting good internet connectivity is next to impossible. Starlink Broadband is hassle-free and offers good quality internet speed.

History

The founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, has started his new venture in the internet sector with his new project Starlink Broadband in 2019. On May 23^rd, 2019, 60 satellites were launched in the atmosphere with low latency; it means that the satellite’s operational altitude is comparatively closer to earth than the other satellites’ approximate distance to be 550kms.

The idea behind this project was to provide high-speed internet connectivity around the globe, covering those areas where network connectivity is not possible. Further, the operational altitude was decided to keep in mind that once the satellite dies, it will be easier to pull down the satellite with the help of atmospheric pressure so that it won’t become junk in the atmosphere.

Is 5G Gaining Over Starlink Broadband Beforehand Only?

No, Starlink broadband is based on satellite connectivity whereas 5G is built on cellular connectivity. The Starlink Broadband is useful for internet connectivity in regions where establishing cellular towers is difficult. In contrast, where these cellular towers are present, 5G connectivity will be ruling the internet.

However, people will be more attracted to wireless internet broadband in the future instead of traditional fiber broadband, and Starlink offers the same deal, net connectivity with no extra wire connection.

What Speed Is Starlink Broadband Offering?

The Speedtest Intelligence shows that the Starlink Broadband currently delivers an average speed of 97.25 Mbps and an upload speed of 13.88 Mbps. The company plans to launch more satellites in orbit and focus on attaining 1Gbps speed by the end of 2021.

Starlink Broadband has surpassed some of the top speed providing companies in the USA so far, like Viasat and HughesNet. By the end of 2021, if Starlink Broadband attains the speed of 1Gbps, it will become the fastest speed internet provider in the world and attain the Speed King title.

Speed Comparison- Starlink Vs. Other Networks

As said earlier, the Starlink Broadband satellite is in low-Earth orbit, making it easier for the network to connect to the Satellite and providing high-speed internet to its customers. The average speed promised by the company as of now is 1Gbps. Talking about Fiber Net, they use the normal satellite in the atmosphere for providing internet. The usual distance of a normal satellite that is not in low-Earth orbit is 35000 kms.

Starlink Broadband promises a low latency internet. The question is, how does latency affect the internet? Latency is how much time one’s internet signal takes to make a round trip from the device to the server and back; it is measured in milliseconds.

The fastest latency speed provided until now is from FiberNet- 17ms, slightly better than cable internet, which provides latency speed from 20-30ms. However, Starlink Broadband is said to have a latency speed of less than 20ms, i.e., near about 10ms, making it the fastest internet in the world.

Starlink Broadband Package Kit

Starlink Broadband kit comes with a Starlink dish, Wi-Fi router, cables, power supply, and a mounting tripod. The service of Starlink Broadband to be at its full speed needs a clear view of the sky for the dish to gain network directly from the low-Earth orbit satellites launched by SpaceX.

The package kit is problem-free to use anywhere; the most difficult situation for people working in the private and public sector is that they don’t get net connectivity in remote locations. Even if they do, getting high-speed data is not easy. With Starlink Broadband, this problem will be solved.

No cable or wire connection will not hinder people from traveling to different remote locations due to work. The package kit is cable-free, and it needs a clear view of the sky to perform and even provides a high-end internet speed of 1Gbps. IOS and Androids users can install the application of SpaceX, and it will help them figure out the best location for the installation of their Starlink Dish.

Starlink Broadband availability around the Globe

Any new service with satellite involvement needs permission from different nation-state jurisdictions to land in the latitude. As for now, Starlink Broadband can be provided in 14 countries only now.

Though the SpaceX satellites can cover most of the region worldwide because of their low orbit availability, International Telecommunication Union regulations and available International Treaties put boundaries over it. In June 2020, SpaceX formally requested authorization from the Canadian government to launch Starlink Broadband in Canada.

The Canadian government took approximately 5 months, and in November 2020 the SpaceX got permission; it took two months to complete all the processes. In January 2021, the Starlink Broadband Beta version was launched.

The 14 countries which permitted SpaceX are- United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, France, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark, Chile, Portugal, and Mexico.

All these countries are using the Beta version of broadband for now.

Is SpaceX Starlink Broadband available in India?

No, it’s not available right now. But, the citizens can preorder the Starlink Broadband from India. In one of his latest tweets, the Billionaire owner of SpaceX mentioned that he is waiting for the regulating authorities to provide a positive response for allowing the satellites to enter the country’s latitude. Hopefully, India’s citizens will enjoy the high-speed data offered by Starlink Broadband.

Distinguishing Features of Starlink Broadband

1. Extremely fast speed. Target is 1Gbps
2. Super-low latency.
3. Availability at the global level.
4. Providing high-speed data in areas where internet connectivity is not stable.

How To Pre-Order The Starlink Broadband In India?

1. Visit the official Starlink website. www.starlink.com
2. The homepage of Starlink will open with the SpaceX logo on top, and a prompt with Order Starlink can be seen there.
3. There will be a text box with the title ‘Service Address’ add your location on which customers want the Starlink Broadband delivered. Before that, do remember, Starlink Broadband is accepting orders for specific areas only in India.
4. If the location is available in the Service Address, then only place the order.
5. A new page will open, telling you that orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
6. Once the customer agrees with this, on the same page, the customer will be required to enter some basic details like Name, Phone Number, Email address, and billing address information.
7. After this, the Starlink website will ask for payment of 99 dollars, which is 7350.01 Rupees as of August 9^th, 2021, 1:40 p.m.
8. After the payment confirmation, the customer can use the Starlink Broadband when it is available in India.

Charges of Starlink Broadband in India

The pre-ordering of Starlink Broadband charge is 7350 Rupees which will be adjusted once the services are started in India. The monthly cost of Starlink Broadband is again 99 dollars per month; besides that, the customer needs to order the package kit also, which costs 499 dollars as of 1:40 p.m., August 9^th, 2021. If somebody pre- ordered any set and the network connectivity cannot be provided in that region, the whole customer’s money will be returned as soon as possible.

Does India Need Starlink Broadband?

Humans can never be satiated with what they get; you provide them with something they will want more later on. Likewise, India has several Broadband connections like Airtel Broadband plans, Excitel Broadband plans, MTNL Broadband plans, etc.

These broadband plans offer internet speeds of around 120- 150 Mbps with a stable network in most cities, and their costs are also quite reasonable compared to Starlink Broadband. We don’t need Starlink because the kind of speed provided by the other Broadband services is more than enough for the steady work of the economy.

Conclusion

When SpaceX asked the Indian government permission for launching Starlink Broadband, it all together started a debate over allowing satellites from other countries into the orbit of India. The government has not reached any conclusion yet, and the availability of Starlink was still debatable a few days back. Still, after August 9^th, 2021, there is a huge possibility that SpaceX will get a positive response from the government and is expected to be launched in India in 2022.