SpaceX is working to build the world’s most advanced satellite broadband internet network, which consists of launching at least 12,000 satellites that will beam internet data globally while orbiting Earth. To date, the aerospace company has launched approximately 1,892 satellites to Low Earth Orbit that provide internet service to over 140,000 customers living in rural areas across 20 countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, United States, and United Kingdom. Service could be available as soon as early next year in Brazil and other parts of Latin America.
SpaceX is working to obtain regulatory approval to sale its broadband service on a global-scale. The ambitious endeavor requires personally submitting service information and proposals to hundreds of government-operated regulatory agencies. SpaceX Starlink representatives met with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to discuss connecting the country to the satellite internet network.
“U.S. based global satellite broadband provider Starlink’s Director Middle East & Asia, Mr. Ryan Goodnight and Head of Global Site Acquisition Mr. Ben Macwilliam visited Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Headquarters, Islamabad today,” PTA announced in a press release on December 13th. “They met with Chairman PTA, Maj General Amir Azeem Bajwa and Executive Director, Frequency Allocation Board. During the meeting, the two sides discussed matters pertaining to provision of satellite broadband connectivity in Pakistan and Starlink’s future plans for connecting Pakistan to their global network. Chairman PTA apprised Starlink representatives about PM’s Vision of Digital Pakistan and prospects in Pakistan’s evolving market for quality broadband internet. He assured Starlink’s representatives about PTA’s support in line with regulatory framework for Starlink’s operations in Pakistan,” wrote PTA.
Their meeting comes after SpaceX released a new Starlink customer terminal to access the network. The new antenna is rectangular and is available for pre-order via the company’s official website Starlink.com. The company says their satellite constellation can beam high-speed internet with download speeds ranging between 100Mbps to 200Mbps (Megabits per second), some Starlink users report even faster data download speeds that surpass 300Mbps.
Featured Image Source: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
Image Source: SpaceX
