Elon Musk's Starlink: Features Of Internet That Will Cost You Ksh92K To Get

Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX that launched in 2018, with 3,200 satellites orbiting the low-Earth orbit.

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Jul 18, 2023 - 15:51
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Elon Musk's Starlink: Features Of Internet That Will Cost You Ksh92K To Get
A graphic of Elon Musk and Starlink. /YOUTUBE

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's satellite internet company, Starlink, announced on Tuesday, July 18 that its highly-anticipated internet service is available in Kenya.

Musk's Starlink, which is powered by his space company dubbed SpaceX, offers high-speed internet that can be used for online audio and video calls, video streaming as well as online gaming in rural and remote areas.

"Starlink for sale in Kenya! Note, buying a Starlink with global roaming allows you to travel almost anywhere," Musk tweeted.

A photo of Starlink Internet equipment. /BUSINESS INSIDER

Features Of Starlink

Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX that launched in 2018, with 3,200 satellites orbiting the low-Earth orbit. With the service, users can engage in activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet.

Its high-speed, low-latency service is made possible via the world’s largest constellation of highly advanced satellites operating in a low orbit around the Earth.

"Leveraging advanced satellites and user hardware coupled with our deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations, Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world.

"Most satellite internet services come from single geostationary satellites that orbit the planet at 35,786 km. As a result, the round trip data time between the user and satellite—also known as latency—is high, making it nearly impossible to support streaming, online gaming, video calls or other high data rate activities," the company explained on its website.

Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that orbit the planet much closer to Earth, at about 550km, and cover the entire globe. Because Starlink satellites are in a low orbit, latency is significantly lower—around 25 ms vs 600+ ms.

In simple terms, the company uses satellites to provide broadband internet across the globe, much like the global positioning system (GPS) provides location data to cell phones around the planet. Unlike GPS, it requires thousands of satellites for service to work without drops in coverage.

How To Access Starlink & Cost

Users on the ground can access the internet via phased-array user terminals, commonly known as satellite dishes, which are installed at their locations. These dishes automatically align themselves with the passing satellites, allowing for a continuous and stable internet connection.

Therefore, for you to access Starlink's internet, you will need the tiny satellite dishes that you will need to pay for, plus their shipping to your area. You will also need to pay for a monthly subscription.

Here’s the breakdown of the initial acquisition cost:

Back in January, Kenyans had reserved orders for the internet service ahead of its launch at a deposit of Ksh12,241.

Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo were among the first East Africa member states to be connected in 2023. 

At the end of 2022, Starlink said that its American customers on its fixed internet plans could expect speeds of between 20 to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), while for business customers, the realistic expectation numbers double to 40-220 Mbps.

The plan to venture into Kenya comes at a time when the demand for high internet speed for streaming, video calls, and online gaming is on the rise due to digitization and expensive data charges. With the launch of Starlink in Kenya, customers can expect a reliable and affordable internet service that will help bridge the digital divide in the country.

Starlink satellites were launched in May 2019 and operate in over 30 countries all over the world.

According to global financial services company, Morgans Stanley Investment Bank, Starlink and SpaceX are valued at Ksh10 trillion.

A person using Starlink Internet on his phone. /FILE

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