San Francisco: SpaceX chief Elon Musk hinted at availing cheaper Starlink internet services by the end of this year. He announced this on Twitter as a reply to a user who enquired about the launch of Starlink internet service.
"Yeah, should be fully mobile later this year, so you can move it anywhere or use it on an RV or truck in motion. We need a few more satellite launches to achieve competitive coverage & some key software upgrades," Musk said
"Service uptime, bandwidth & latency are improving rapidly. Probably out of beta this summer," he added.
According to various reports, Musk's new internet service will make web access more affordable for people in remote areas worldwide including in India.
The company currently promises speeds between 50 and 150 Mbps for the Starlink project that plans to deliver high-speed internet through a network of about 12,000 satellites. The company has already put over 1,200 of its Starlink satellites in orbit, says an IANS report.
The report says that the satellite broadband company will double the internet speed to 300 Mbps this year.
SpaceX has sought approval from regulators in the US to connect its Starlink satellite Internet network to large vehicles including trucks and ships.
The request, filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), marks a move to expand the Starlink satellite Internet network from rural areas to other sectors.
SpaceX is currently offering the beta version of Starlink on pre-orders in India for a fully refundable deposit of $99.
(From IANS with edits)