Starlink released more than 1 million user terminals — Elon Musk
Starlink noted another significant achievement — as of the end of September, more than 1 million user terminals for SpaceX satellite Internet have been released, Elon Musk reported on Twitter.
Let us immediately note that the total number of Starlink terminals released since the launch of the service (since October 2020) should not be confused with the number of existing service subscribers and users using its services. At the same time, this achievement is another clear indication that the demand for the service continues to grow steadily.
Starlink now over 1M user terminals manufactured
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 25, 2022
As for active subscribers, as of the end of May, Starlink had almost 500,000 active users in 32 countries. Over the past few months, SpaceX has significantly expanded the availability of its satellite Internet — it has become available in airplanes, cars (1 and 2), and even on yachts. On September 19, after launching another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit, Elon Musk solemnly reported that Starlink now works on all continents, even in Antarctica. Considering that more than 750,000 were in the queue for connection as of the end of November 2021, Starlink is showing an enviable growth rate. And the recent deal with T-Mobile to connect 5G smartphones to satellites and thus cover ‘dead zones’ only adds confidence to Starlink’s cloudless future.
Starlink Availability Map
In May, SpaceX moved into production of the next generation of Starlink V2.0 satellites for deployment with Starship, which is currently preparing for its first flight.
It remains to mention that many Starlink terminals are currently operating in Ukraine — since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has received 15,000 terminals with a free tariff plan, and at the beginning of May, Apptopia analysts noted in their report that about 150,000 people actively use Starlink in Ukraine every day. And at the end of August, Starlink almost halved the subscription fee for Ukrainians — from $100 to $60 per month
Starlink almost halved the subscription fee for Ukrainians — from $100 to $60 per month
- In October 2021, the Starlink global satellite internet exited the phase of open beta testing that had been ongoing since October 2020. The set of necessary equipment (terminal, mount and Wi-Fi router) costs $599 (initially it was $499), and the subscription fee for the service is $110 per month (in Ukraine it is $60 per month). Speeds on the Starlink network range from 100 to 400 Mbps, and in the distant future SpaceX plans to provide 10 Gbps.
- In Ukraine, during the martial law, restrictions were lifted and Starlink subscriber satellite terminals were allowed to be used not only by the military, but by all categories of users. At the same time, on the coverage map, our country is still marked as the one where the launch is expected, and it is not yet possible to officially buy such a kit in Ukraine. This is all related to the technology certification — it is expected that full certification will take place after the victory.
- About 3,399 Starlink internet satellites are now in orbit — about 35% of the total number of devices in operation (if we go by the UN estimate — there are 9,686 of them).
