The launching of thousands of satellites into space by the Starlink project, has the stated goal of providing internet services to remote areas on Earth. Starlink with its satellite network provides internet to those residing in remote areas. The company operates in a low-level orbit to provide high-speed internet services. It is targeting customers not only in the UK but other parts of the world as well, says the Space Projects Manager Dr. Lucinda King.
The high-speed internet services offered by Starlink aren’t cheap as compared to other services of a similar kind. To avail the service, its subscriber has to bear around £89 per month in the United Kingdom. Apart from this, users have to pay additional charges of around £529 for the router and the dish. Currently, Starlink operates in 36 countries having approximately 4,00,000 subscribers worldwide. Professor Sa’id Mosteshar of Space Policy and Law says that Starlink relies on small revenues as most developed nations are well-equipped with high-speed internet connections in advance.
The company offers services to both businesses and households. In 2023 Starlink aims to extend its networks across Asian regions, South America and Africa as these regions get patchy access to internet services. However, Chris Hall predicts that prices of Starlink may be extremely high for African households. Despite this, these services play a vital role in connecting the hospitals and schools situated in remote areas to the rest of the world, he further adds.
In the recent Russia-Ukraine war, Starlink gathered worldwide attention when the company offered internet access to Ukraine when Russian forces tried to isolate Ukraine by blocking it from social media and closing down the internet services. Elon Must immediately shipped 15,000 Starlink sets of routers and dishes to Ukraine after the invasion.
