More than 10,000 people in the U.S. and abroad access the Internet from a SpaceX satellite network, according to the company run by Elon Musk.
The rocket construction company announced the number in a statement to the Federal Communications Commission because it was looking to expand Starlink satellite Internet service.
“Starlink’s performance is neither theoretical nor experimental,” SpaceX wrote in Wednesday’s presentation, adding that “network performance is accelerating rapidly in real time as part of its public beta program.” launch in October.
SpaceX aims to provide high-speed Internet access in rural areas with Starlink, which costs $ 99 a month plus $ 499 for the equipment needed to connect to the network. The company said in August 2020 that “about 700,000 people” had expressed interest in Starlink.
Although SpaceX warned early Starlink customers that the service could be erratic, the company said it is “meeting and exceeding” speeds of 100 megabits per second.
“Starlink continues to improve as SpaceX deploys additional infrastructure and capabilities, with an average of two Starlink launches per month, to add significant in-orbit capability along with activating additional gateways to improve performance and expand nationwide service coverage, ”SpaceX told the FCC.
In the filing, SpaceX asked the feds to designate him as “Apt
Telecommunications Carrier ”, which is needed to provide Starlink service to seven states, including New York and Tennessee.
SpaceX gained access to these states through an FCC auction to bring broadband Internet service to rural areas, according to CNBC.