SpaceX Is Already Providing Starlink Internet In The Netherlands

Featured Image Source: SpaceX Starlink

SpaceX is deploying the world’s largest broadband satellite constellation to connect rural regions worldwide. This year the company is rapidly launching batches of Starlink satellites atop previously-flown Falcon 9 rockets almost on a weekly basis. The most recent launch took place on May 15, SpaceX is preparing to launch the next fleet of 60 Starlink satellites on May 26 at 2:59 pm. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex-40 [date is subject to change]. It will be the eight Starlink mission in less than eight weeks. The Starlink constellation will initially be comprised of around 4,400 satellites, so far, there’s 1,677 in orbit.

As the company gears-up for its next satellite deployment, it sent potential customers in Europe invitations to test its broadband network. This week, Starlink beta customers shared via Reddit that SpaceX is already providing internet in the Netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe. They received their equipment to connect to the network which includes a phased-array antenna dish with mounting equipment and Wi-Fi router device. Reddit user who goes by the name TheJesbus shared a photo of their Starlink dish installed on top of a flat roof building, shown below. TheJesbus says the Starlink service has provided them with internet speeds ranging from 70Mbps to 200 Mbps (megabits per second). “[…] As a SpaceX fanboy what's cooler than one of their phased array antennas on your roof?” they wrote in a comment. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said in February that Starlink’s internet speed will “double to ~300Mbps and latency will drop to ~20ms later this year.” 

Image Source: TheJesbus via Reddit

Another Reddit user, cbuijs, shared that they pre-ordered the internet service via Starlink.com in February and their Starlink kit arrived to their service location in Amsterdam, Netherlands, this weekend. They shared a photo of the Starlink Kit box at their doorstep, image below. They have not installed their dish antenna yet, they said they would update their Reddit post with a speed test soon. SpaceX is also already providing Starlink service to other European countries, including portions of United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Belgium. SpaceX is first rolling-out service in rural or remote regions on a 'first-come, first-served' basis, as more satellites are deployed to orbit more customers will be served per region. Author's note: Thanks for supporting TESMANIAN! Twitter: Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo

Image Source: cbuijs via Reddit