SpaceX uncovered today another expensive, elite execution level to its incipient Starlink satellite network access (Starlink’s Premium Tier.)
Cost
The Premium tier will cost $500 per month, a significant increase above the current $99 charge for non-premium Starlink customers. Premium users must also pay a one-time $2,500 charge for a bigger dish. The basic Starlink dish costs $499 for non-premium subscribers.
According to a tweet from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the Premium grade dish might give improved performance due to a new “high-performance antenna.” “Starlink Premium has more than double the antenna capabilities of Starlink, enabling quicker internet speeds and better throughput for the most demanding customers, including businesses,” according to the company’s website.
Bandwith
The dish can also provide “high throughput connectivity for small offices, storefronts, and super users across the globe,” according to the company’s website. Implying that the Premium tier is primarily for enterprise users or the wealthy based in remote areas with slow broadband.
“Even during periods of peak network demand,” the new Premium dish offers a more stable internet connection. However, 500Mbps download speeds are not guaranteed. Instead, the business claims that the dish would receive speeds ranging from 150Mbps to 500Mbps; 150Mbps is the maximum speed that a standard Starlink dish can now obtain.
Pre-orders
Pre-orders are already being taken for the premium. The first batch of units is expected to arrive in the second quarter of this year. Although there is no news when the orders will be fulfilled, it is worth noting that SpaceX has suffered pushback from basic tier customers. SpaceX apologised for the delay in a mass email to pre-order customers.
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, has launched roughly 2,000 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. With the FCC approving the launch of another 12,000 satellites. The ultimate objective is to increase that number to over 30,000 people and offer continuous worldwide coverage, with a concentration on locations with low access. In August of last year, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that Starlink had delivered 100,000 satellite terminals to clients in 14 countries.
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