SpaceX StarLink just revealed a so-called Premium Service tier which apparently promises speeds up to 500 Mbps. That is if you have the money for it.
The service, according to Engadget, will cost $500 a month. But that's not everything that you pay for. You must also spend $2,500 for the dish, as well as another $500 for the downpayment if you want to try it out. It is aptly called StarLink Premium.
Elon Musk himself tweeted about the service:
Starlink high performance antenna https://t.co/83kIQSNV3l
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2022
The advertised speeds are basically double compared to what current StarLink plans offer (which is around 50-250 Mbps). It does, however, retain the same latency range at between 20-40 milliseconds.
In his tweet, the multi-billionaire SpaceX StarLink founder shared a page for the Premium Service with more information. As per the StarLink page, the service tier is expected to start being delivered in Q2 2022 and features "more than double" the current antenna capability of other lower-tiered plans.
The Verge also reports that the service also promises better performance in "extreme weather conditions." They didn't explicitly say which weather conditions these are, but one can connect this to their recent announcement of the Snow Melt Feature.
For the unaware, the Snow Melt Feature is designed to make a StarLink dish heat itself up to remove any built-up snow or ice. This will make it an excellent choice for someone who lives somewhere remote and extremely cold.
Furthermore, it mentions access to 24/7 prioritized support. This likely means that SpaceX StarLink is designing its Premium service tier around the needs of a very specific type of customer, one who needs super-high-speed internet connections wherever, whenever they are.
Read also : SpaceX Starlink Internet Speed Surpasses 400Mbps! Expect Better Performance as More Sats Reach Earth's Orbit
Is The New SpaceX StarLink Premium Service Worth It?
The simple answer is it depends on your specific needs. But a quick look at the service tier might make you think about spending that kind of money, considering the speed upgrade you get.
For $500, you're basically getting double the speed boost. At first, it sounds great. But consider StarLink's lower-tier Standard plan, which costs $99. As per the original Engadget report, you stand to pay five times more for double the speed, which might not be worth it in the long run.
No matter what you think of SpaceX StarLink, however, it does provide what could be the best satellite internet on the market, according to Forbes. The company still leads most other competitors in terms of download speeds. However, they're not exactly without controversy.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Elon Musk's satellite internet company had to refund their Indian customers after a certain row with the government. The company reportedly hasn't gotten the right licenses to operate in the country fully but was already offering pre-orders to potential customers.
Still, the ISP has reiterated that they're "looking forward" to establishing a presence there, and in the rest of the world.
This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by RJ Pierce
