SpaceX is building the Starlink satellite constellation to provide high-speed broadband internet to rural and remote regions around the world. “Starlink is ideally suited for areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable,” the company says, “People across the globe are using Starlink to gain access to education, health services and even communications support during natural disasters.”
Rural and remote regions are areas where internet companies do not set up ground infrastructure because it is too expensive to set up long fiber-optic cables and other infrastructures in communities with low population. Space-based internet is ideal for those communities. The Starlink network is easy to set up, simply by connecting the user antenna and Wi-Fi router to an electricity source. In less than ten minutes, the antenna finds the orbiting satellites in the sky to enable internet access. “Starlink enables access to essential online services and resources for rural communities that have historically gone unserved by traditional internet service providers. With Starlink, virtual doctor visits and remote learning are now possible for rural communities […]” SpaceX said.
A Starlink user who lives in a remote off-grid cabin in the U.S. State of Colorado shared they received a new rectangular antenna and performed internet speed tests. The company released the new antenna design in November last year. Previously, the antenna was a circular dish. “Not only did SpaceX Starlink arrive today, but it connected instantly! We live 10 miles from cell service at an off-grid cabin in the White River National Forest near Glenwood Springs CO,” the Starlink user shared via Twitter, “This changes everything for my wife who works from home.” As soon as they installed the network, they shared that they received high-speed Starlink internet with download speed of 256 Mbps (Megabits per second). Which is a much faster internet speed than what the company advertises on its Starlink.com website. “Using advanced satellites in a low orbit, Starlink enables video calls, online gaming, streaming, and other high data rate activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet. Users can expect to see download speeds between 100 Mb/s and 200 Mb/s and latency as low as 20ms in most locations,” the company states.
Not only did @SpaceX #starlink arrive today, but it connected instantly!
— Back Roads EV (@jaminwestby) January 12, 2022
We live 10 miles from cell service at an off-grid cabin in the White River National Forest near Glenwood Springs CO.
This changes everything for my wife who works from home. @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/V3aVu8DeEi
Featured Image Source: Back Roads EV via Twitter
About the Author
Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo
Evelyn J. Arevalo joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover news as a Space Journalist and SpaceX Starbase Texas Correspondent. Evelyn is specialized in rocketry and space exploration. The main topics she covers are SpaceX and NASA.
