Starlink may have just brought its service to boats, but that isn’t stopping the company from going after the next big thing: Airplanes.
The company has added a new service on its website called Starlink Aviation. The service, which was originally rumored back in 2021, is now real and will officially launch in 2023. It will bring satellite internet to private planes for a whopping $12,500-$25,000 per month with a one-time hardware cost of $150,000. Those who are interested in adding Starlink to their plane can reserve the package now, with deliveries starting next year.
The company says that, even with a plane traveling at hundreds of miles an hour, the service will be able to provide speeds of up to 350 Mbps, theoretically enabling video streaming and even online gaming:
Starlink can deliver up to 350 Mbps to each plane, enabling all passengers to access streaming-capable internet at the same time. With latency as low as 20 ms, passengers can engage in activities previously not functional in flight, including video calls, online gaming, virtual private networks and other high data rate activities.
$150,000 won’t buy you everything you need
The hardware package, which includes the Aero Terminal, power supply, 2 wireless access points, and harnesses, costs $150,000. Despite this price, it does not include the cost of installation on the plane. Starlink, however, says that its design “enables installations during minimal downtime and combines well with other routine maintenance checks.”
Starlink Aviation, just like T-Mobile before it, has no long-term contracts and, surprisingly, all plans come with unlimited data. The company also says that all of the hardware is under warranty “for as long as you subscribe to the service.”
The company doesn’t mention any partnerships with commercial airlines, so the service will likely be used at launch for those with private planes. Still, it’s cool to see the service continue to expand into new categories. I, for one, am waiting for the first Twitch streamer to go live from 20,000 feet next year to put the service to the test.
More coverage: Starlink will soon work while you’re driving.
