The aim of Starlink, a company belonging to Elon Musk's startup empire, is to bring fast Internet via satellite "to remote areas of the world". An interesting market for this is Germany, where some regions are far behind, at least digitally. It should start this year.
The Starlink subsidiary of the private US space company SpaceX intends to offer its satellite Internet service in Germany this year as well. "If everything goes according to plan, we will start in Germany this year," said Starlink manager Hans Koenigsmann of "Wirtschaftswoche". The company was only launched a few weeks ago on a trial basis in the USA. "Our mission is to bring fast internet to remote areas of the world."
Starlink is already registered with the Federal Network Agency as a telecommunications company and is waiting for the final approvals, reported the "Wirtschaftswoche". Two ground stations for communication with the satellites are under construction.
In the US, the so-called "better-than-nothing" beta version of Starlink costs $ 500 for a starter package with satellite dish and router and $ 99 a month. In return, customers get the Internet 95 percent of the time. Details on the fee structure for Germany have not yet been determined, said Königsmann. "But we will be guided by what the local market allows."
SpaceX company founder Elon Musk, who is also the head of the electric car manufacturer Tesla, wants to secure three to five percent of the global market for Internet connections with Starlink. With 900 satellites, SpaceX still has only half as many in space as would be necessary to cover the earth around the clock, reported the "Wirtschaftswoche". In order to bring high-speed internet to remote areas, 15 more Starlink missions are necessary, said the manager. SpaceX missiles launch the satellites into space.
"In the north" Starlink is "already well positioned," said Königsmann. "That is why Germany is excellently suited as a market – we already have a good connection there." Königsmann is German and, according to the report, was one of the first SpaceX managers.
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