good news for SpaceX. Elon Musk’s signature has received authorization of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for bring Starlink internet to moving vehicles. This means that this service can be implemented in planes, ships and land vehicles such as cars, trucks and trailers.
Undoubtedly, this is a very important novelty for the American company, which had already been waiting for this approval for a few months. Until now, Starlink’s service provision has status limited to terminals in fixed locations.
And while it is true that the antennas can be moved to be used from a remote location, without necessarily being a home or office, the company did not have the go-ahead to provide its Internet access to means of transport on the move.
But the authorization granted by the FCC promises to change the landscape for SpaceX. The firm has shown special interest in bringing Starlink internet to commercial flights, and has already tested it. In fact, in April it began to be tested in the United States through Delta Airlines; nevertheless, still missing the okay from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certify receivers that must be installed on aircraft.
An important point to note is that SpaceX has not been the only company that the authorities have authorized to bring its satellite internet to moving vehicles. the canadian firm Kepler Communications it has also received a similar authorization, although limited to ships that navigate both in United States territorial waters and in international waters.
Starlink satellite internet, one step closer to commercial flights and other forms of mobility
This is how the FCC assessed the connectivity services that both Starlink and Kepler Communications intend to offer:
“We agree with SpaceX and Kepler that it would be in the public interest to conditionally grant their requests. Authorizing a new class of terminals for the SpaceX satellite system will expand the range of broadband capabilities to meet growing user demands.” who now require connectivity while on the go, whether driving an RV across the country, moving a freighter from Europe to a US port, or during a domestic or international flight. Kepler will provide much-needed connectivity to ships in the territorial waters of Hawaii and Alaska and in remote areas around the world, including the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic.”
Federal Communications Commission
Undoubtedly, these authorizations promise to have a very important impact among consumers; especially in the case of Starlink and its implementation on commercial flights. If Elon Musk’s company manages to bring its satellite internet to major airlines, will dramatically change the landscape of in-flight connectivity.
Keep in mind that internet connection options on air travel are still extremely limited. Upload and download speeds are very slow and the services are outrageously expensive for the quality of service you get. It is true that some airlines allow free access to frequent travelers or members of programs related to certain credit cards. However, the common people still must spend a large amount of money to interact with your email or social networks. And this is only part of what can change from the hand of Starlink.
Let’s not forget that in some countries in-flight internet is limited to intercontinental travel; no short-term plans to implement it locally or regionally. In these cases, the most that travelers can hope for is to connect to the plane’s Wi-Fi to access the multimedia content distribution system that occurs through airline apps (which often work really badly).
For now, Starlink has overcome a major regulatory hurdle to bring its satellite internet to moving vehicles. Without a doubt, this will mean a very important expansion possibility for SpaceX, starting with commercial aviation but not limited to it.