Starlink, the satellite internet company, has introduced a new tier. The "Starlink Premium" service costs $500 per month, and in return, promises to deliver download speeds between 150 and 500Mbps and reduced latency of 20 to 40ms. The service also gets a larger on-location antenna and could be delivered before individual potential customers who are currently on a waitlist.
Starlink started offering its satellite-based internet service as a trial for $100 per month. Individuals can currently order this service by paying $499 for hardware. New orders have an indicative delivery period of "late 2022".
The regular Starlink service promises to deliver a download speed ranging between 100Mbps and 200Mbps. Real-life tests indicate upload speeds vary in the range of 10Mbps to 20Mbps. Needless to mention, this service is recommended for individuals and small families.
Starlink Premium's website claims the service is intended for “small offices, stores, and residences”. Interested customers have to pay a $500 deposit. The official website for the service claims, “Starlink Premium has more than double the antenna capability of Starlink. Starlink Premium users can expect download speeds of 150-500Mbps and latency of 20-40ms. [The service] helps ensure bandwidth for critical operations even during times of peak network usage."
This is twice the area of our standard phased array with broader scan angle
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2022
Interestingly, Starlink Premium promises, “improved performance in extreme weather conditions.” New orders have an indicative delivery period of "Q2 2022". This means Starlink Premium subscribers could get their service activated before those who ordered the regular Starlink service.
The FAQ page for Starlink Premium notes:
“Starlink Premium delivers the same low latency with higher throughput allocation to serve small offices of 10-20 users, storefronts, and residential locations across the globe. Order as many Starlinks as needed, manage all of your service locations from a single account, and access 24/7 priority customer support.”
Starlink is asking $2500 for the hardware kit for Starlink Premium, which includes a user terminal and base, a Wi-Fi router, and cables. As mentioned earlier, the service asks for $500 per month but assures there are no long-term contracts, no data caps, and no exclusivity requirements.
Source: Ars Technica
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