•All You Need To Know About ELON MUSK’s Starlink Internet
Elon Musk has been the richest man in the world for 14 straight months. He remains the second richest man in the world after being dethroned by Bernard Arnault. He is not so far off from reclaiming the title. However, what is still making headlines today in the world is that he has announced the availability of Starlink internet access to Nigerians.
Starlink is a constellation of 3,271 satellites first launched by the billionaire into the orbit of the earth in 2019. Only 60 satellites were initially launched into orbit at that time. The last constellation of satellites were launched earlier this year to bring them up to the total above.
Starlink is operated by SpaceX, which is Elon Musk’s space exploration company. SpaceX has sent so many rockets into space and has been working and testing rockets that can take humans to planet Mars. It is also partnering with NASA to return humans to the moon in less than two years.
As the billionaire continued to expand his brand into different innovative initiatives, he decided to leverage his equipment and expertise in space exploration to launch communication satellites into orbit and bite a large chunk of the global internet market, which is what starlink basically is. Starlink presents an opportunity for internet penetration into the most remote parts of the earth and in this case, the most remote parts of Nigeria.
HOW STARLINK IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ISPS IN NIGERIA?
There have been internet providers in Nigeria for almost 25 years. Some of these service providers have gone through the various generations of technology to remain providers today. Internet Service Providers in Nigeria include dedicated providers and GSM operators who also provide these services along with voice. The difference between these generations is the speed. Though, the speed of 5G is comparable to that of Starlink, there needs to be connectivity before speed is measured. While, starlink internet can be accessed with individual dishes and routers, other ISPs need to upgrade their networks before subscribers get access to the speed of 5G. This takes a lot of time to achieve. The speed of starlink is exponentially better than anything we have in the country today.
STARLINK IS THE KING OF CONNECTIVITY
As far as the internet is concerned, speed is very important to leverage all the opportunities offered by cyberspace but connectivity is king. This is where starlink excels. Starlink will be connecting the most remote part of the globe, whether there is a traditional internet network or not. This is because, the satellites are basically floating overhead. While other operators need a lot of funding to expand their networks, starlink satellites are already in orbit everywhere, including overhead the middle of the ocean.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO STARLINK INTERNET IN NIGERIA
Since the announcement to his 128 million followers on twitter that Nigeria now has access to starlink satellites last week, Nigerians have continued to search for information about how to subscribe to starlink satellite. This is not rocket science. Nigerians are already used to satellite television subscription. It is that same format that the subscription to starlink is done. For example, to subscribe to satellite television like DSTV, a subscriber needs a satellite dish and a decoder. The dish is installed outdoor, while the decoder is installed indoors.
While the dish receives the signals directly from the satellite, the decoder interpretes the signal to make the information useable to the end user. However, to subscribe to Starlink Internet, a prospective subscriber requires a dish but instead of a decoder, a router is needed. The router serves the purpose of the decoder in this case. The outdoor dish is connected to the Wi-Fi router inside the house with cables while internet connection is achieved by either connecting wirelessly to the router by Wi-Fi or through an ethernet cable connection, depending on the receiving device. A mobile phone for instance, would be connected wirelessly while a computer or smart television with an ethernet input could be connected by cable. Of course, such device can also be connected by Wi-Fi if it has the capability. Starlink dishes are placed at a position with a clear view of the sky and pointed slightly north. This differs from satellite television dish which needs to be pointed at a particular cardinal point in the sky where the service satellite is located.
THE STARLINK KIT
A starlink kit is the package received after a first time purchase of starlink subscription. It is a box that contains everything required to subscribe to starlink Internet. A basic starlink kit contains a satellite dish, the mount for the dish and a Wi-Fi router. It comes pre-connected. According to starlink, the kit will come with free internet for some months, after which an owner will be required to pay for monthly subscription before they continue to enjoy the service.
WHAT DOES STARLINK KIT COST?
Starlink is a global company and is yet to open offices around the world. Hence, it is easier to access starlink internet than to actually physically visit a starlink office. For now, you are required to order the kit from the United States. The means that shipping and custom duties will need to be included in your total cost. The kit costs $600, while the subscription is $43 monthly. According to the current official exchange rate in Nigeria, the kit is N276 613, while the subscription is N19, 823.
