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In addition to being available in more and more countries, Starlink should also be more accessible, thanks to a new antenna. Information has been circulating on the web about this new “Mini” antenna for a while. And for the first time, images of these were posted by an account on the social network X.
For his part, Elon Musk reacted by providing some information on this new antenna. This confirms that the Starlink Mini Dish will indeed be small enough to fit into a backpack, which could make the service even more practical for users. But in addition to that, the Mini Dish will also lower the cost of access to Starink. Indeed, Musk explained that the new antenna should be half the price compared to the standard Starlink antenna. In France, the standard Starlink kit is currently sold for 349 euros.
Rolls out to select areas in a few months.
Also, Mini can be a great low-cost option for a good backup Internet connection if your landline goes out.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2024
Cheaper and more practical equipment
Elon Musk also talks about the ease with which this mini antenna can be installed. The SpaceX boss explains that it took him less than 5 minutes to install the kit. And, finally, despite the compact format, users could still benefit from good connection quality. “[…] you can still watch multiple 4K video streams simultaneously!”, also says Musk, who mentions a latency of 23 milliseconds during of his use of this kit.
At the moment, it is not clear when the Starlink Mini Dish will be available. But Elon Musk indicates that it will be offered in certain areas within a few months.
Starlink continues to strengthen its direct-to-cell constellation
As for mobility, Starlink also continues to prepare the launch of its offer which will allow 4G smartphones to connect directly without going through a special antenna. In order to offer this new service, which will be provided in partnership with operators, Starlink must deploy a new constellation of satellites capable of acting as 4G antennas in space. And this month of June, 13 new satellites of this type were launched.
As a reminder, Starlink plans to offer access to text messages via these satellites from 2024. And the calls and mobile data are also expected to be supported in 2025.
- Starlink is preparing a new, more compact antenna
- This will be more affordable, which will facilitate access to satellite connection
- The new antenna will also be more practical, since it can be carried in a backpack
- Starlink is also preparing the launch of its “direct-to-cell” service, which will allow direct connection to satellites with 4G smartphones
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