SpaceX Starlink broadband India pre-registration begins - What is it, prices, internet speeds - Android

SpaceX Starlink broadband is now available for pre-registration in India for $99, which is around Rs 7,200 on conversion. Elon Musk’s satellite service is said to offer up to 300 Mbps speeds later this year, which is double what it currently offers during beta. Yes, the service is currently in beta and will be available […]

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SpaceX Starlink broadband is now available for pre-registration in India for $99, which is around Rs 7,200 on conversion. Elon Musk’s satellite service is said to offer up to 300 Mbps speeds later this year, which is double what it currently offers during beta.

Yes, the service is currently in beta and will be available to Indian users only in 2022. However, one can check for its availability in their area and pre-register for the service by paying $99, which is refundable. Another thing to note is that Starlink orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis as the company says the availability is limited.

So, what is SpaceX Starlink, how much do pre-registrations cost in India, and more questions answered:

SpaceX Starlink in India: What is it?

Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite service that aims to offer high-speed, low-latency broadband internet across the globe. Starlink coming to India is a part of the company’s larger plan to cover all of Earth by next year. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in a recent tweet that most of the Earth will be covered by the end of the year, and all by next year.

This is ensured by Starlink satellites. In an effort to make global internet coverage a reality, the company launched its fifth Falcon 9 rocket in May last year with 60 internet-beaming Starlink satellites onboard.

“As we launch more satellites, install more ground stations and improve our networking software, data speed, latency and uptime will improve dramatically,” the company’s page reads. The company says its service is suited for areas where connectivity has typically been a challenge given it does not use the traditional ground infrastructure to provide internet.

SpaceX Starlink currently in beta: What are the internet broadband speeds like?

In the beta phase, Starlink offers data speeds varying from 50Mbps to 150Mbps, thanks to a total of 1,000 existing Starlink satellites already in orbit. However, Musk says will double to 300Mbps later this year once the number of satellites touches 12,000. Further, the latency is said to drop to 20ms later this year, from the current latency that varies from 20ms to 40ms in most locations.

Low latency will ensure the time taken to send data from one point to the next is less, which translates to improved and faster performance when it comes to activities like video calls and online gaming for regular users. Starlink says their satellites are 60 times closer to Earth than traditional satellites, which ensures low latency.

SpaceX Starlink broadband in India: Price, how to pre-register

SpaceX Starlink broadband can be pre-registered at $99 or around Rs 7,200 in India, though the service will available in 2022. Under the beta testing phase, users can get themselves registered for the service to get Starlink Kit that will need to be set up in order to use the service. Here’s how to pre-register for Starlink in India:

• Those interested will need to check for the availability of the service on the Starlink website at Starlink.com.

• On the Starlink official website, users will be greeted with a message, “Starlink is available to a limited number of users per coverage area at this time. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.”

• A ‘Service Address’ box should appear below the message where users need to check for the availability of the service in their area by entering the name of the location, their city name, or postal code.

• If the service is available in the user’s area, users will be directed to the “Starlink Order” page where their area will be mentioned along with payment amount and a message that reads, “Starlink is targeting coverage in your area in 2022. Availability is limited. Order will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis.”

• Finally, users will be redirected to the payments page, where they will need to put in details like first and last name, phone number, email, billing information like credit card number, etc and then pay $99. The registration amount is refundable, according to the company.

SpaceX Starlink Kit: What is it, how to set up

Upon registration, users should receive their Starlink Kit that includes Starlink, Wi-Fi router, power supply, cables as well as a mounting tripod. Do note that Starlink needs to be set up where there is a clear view of the sky to connect.

To determine the best install location, Starlink recommends to download the Starlink App, which is available on Google Play Store for Android users and App Store for iOS users, respectively.