Elon Musk’s SpaceX officially launches its Starlink satellite internet access offer across France.
Based on the deployment of a constellation of several thousand telecommunications satellites positioned in low earth orbit, Starlink from SpaceX allows access to a broadband connection in a non-traditional way mainly for people in remote areas. Already established in the USA and Canada, the service is also arriving in France with a beta allowing transfer speeds ranging from 50 to 150 megabits per second and a latency of 20 to 40 milliseconds: “There will be brief periods without any connectivity. As we launch more satellites, install more ground stations, and improve our networking software, data speed, latency and availability will improve dramatically.”
Starlink is accessible in France, find out all about the satellite internet offer
To get your hands on Starlink anywhere in France, you have to order a pack at 558 euros on the official website (translated into the language of Molière) including a wifi router, a power supply, cables and a mounting tripod: “The mounting tripod is designed for ground level installation or to support a quick start setup to test your internet connection. For users who require rooftop installation, rooftop brackets are available by logging into your account“. Then, you will be asked to pay 99 euros per month to access high-speed internet.
Starlink has already exceeded 500,000 pre-orders worldwide: “Currently available for a limited number of users per coverage area, orders will be processed on a first come, first served basis.“. Total success for SpaceX’s satellite internet network.
In the immediate future, 1,500 Starlink satellites are orbiting the Earth. The goal would be to have a network with 42,000 artificial stars and to have at least 5 million customers in the United States. Regarding the termination of the service subscription, Starlink explains: “You can suspend and cancel the monthly subscription fee at any time through your account on the Customer Portal. You are not entitled to any refund, except in the cases provided for in articles 1.2, 4.3 or 4.4 (…) It is your responsibility to use appropriate packaging for the return of the Starlink Kit and to pay for the reshipment.“