SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has gotten a Premium tier.
Company CEO Elon Musk shared the news on Twitter on Wednesday. Called Starlink Premium, the new system has a bigger, better antenna with a bigger surface area and a broader scan angle. In practice, this means the system offers more bandwidth (150–500 Mbps download speeds) and a latency of 20–40ms, and should perform better in extreme weather conditions.
SpaceX says the Premium tier is ideal for “small offices, storefronts, and super users across the globe.”
Like before, the new service doesn’t come with a long-term contract or a data cap.
The price has gone up considerably compared to the $499 basic Starlink package, however. The Starlink Premium kit consists of the antenna, WiFi router, and tripod, and costs $2,500. For comparison, the standard package offers download speeds between 100-200 Mbps, though minimum latency is the same at 20ms.
Additionally, while the monthly fee for the standard Starlink kit is $99 per month, the fee for the Premium package is $500 per month. Finally, the pre-order deposit is also pricier at $500, compared to $100 for the standard Starlink kit.
Starlink emerged out of beta in October 2021, but the company has a pretty big backlog of unfulfilled orders. The new, pricier system probably won’t see that much demand, but it’ll still be a wait before you can get one. You can order Starlink Premium now, but SpaceX says the first orders will be fulfilled “mid-2022.”
