Starlink is one of the most exciting companies in the satellite broadband industry at the moment. The company is already in the beta testing phase in multiple countries including European nations, Australia, New Zealand, and the US. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX which owns Starlink keeps on sharing information about the company’s plans through his Twitter account. In a recent query posted to him, Musk said that Starlink will be able to offer satellite internet at close to light speeds. To do that, the company will be getting rid of its ground stations.
Starlink to Get Rid of Ground Stations and Use Laser Equipped Satellites
Starlink has plans to get rid of ground stations which have become a hindrance in offering high-speed connections to its customers in the beta phase. The company will be using laser-equipped satellites which will be able to transmit data at light speeds to even remote regions where terrestrial networks are not present.
The laser-equipped satellites will help Starlink in getting rid of the ground stations. The ground stations take a lot more time in establishing connections with the satellite which reduces the speed that is delivered with the connection.
As per the tweet from Musk, the laser will be able to deliver speeds that will be 40% faster than the optical fibers. Thus, a laser Starlink connection might be able to transfer data packets at 180,832 miles per second. This is actually 97% of the speed of light.
Elon Musk has already said that Starlink will cut the ground station from the complete Arctic and will also increase the bandwidth offered. The company further plans to reduce the ping offered to 50ms which will help the users in establishing real-time connections. Starlink is currently in the battle of getting regulatory approvals from governments around the world. While the company can release satellites into space and provide global coverage at its own speed, getting regulatory approvals might be a long walk.
