SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk will soon start providing In-Flight internet. The company has signed its first deal with JSX, a semi-private jet service that will see the American company provide WiFi service on its flights via satellites.
The in-flight internet service will come live via the Starlink satellite network. The company is in talks with multiple satellite firms to add more satellites to bring high-speed broadband to airlines.
The plan comes following Elon Musk’s initiation. The renowned entrepreneur has for months been in talks with airlines to convince them of Starlink’s in-flight internet service. This is in part to tap into markets beyond households in rural areas through its satellite internet.
Also read: Four Companies Shortlisted For Nepal’s Satellite Launch
SpaceX to begin in-flight internet
SpaceX has tied up its first contract for in-flight WiFi with JSX, a semi-private jet service. The company has 100 airplanes aboard. As per the plan, those planes will receive signals from Starlink satellites for the internet. And as per the reports, the first in-flight internet service will go live by the year’s end.
JSX has said the Starlink WiFi will come at no cost for its customers. They won’t “require logging in or other complexities associated with legacy systems,” the airline said in a statement.
SpaceX, the company that manufactures advanced rockets and launches them has the ‘constellations’ of 2,000 Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit. Its service is not fully global but it is seeking a worldwide expansion by 2022. Currently, its satellite internet is available in some parts of Canada and the USA.
The company also made global headlines when it started providing satellite internet in some parts of Ukraine after the country faced partial outages following the Russian invasion.
SpaceX requires regulatory approvals to begin its service. For an instance, the company is facing a legal battle in India to kick-start its satellite internet. Also read: NTA Approves Two ISPs for In-Flight Internet Service In Nepali Sky
AS for the in-flight internet, SpaceX is seeking regulatory approval from FCC (the US telecom regulator) to begin its broadband service. The company has also tested its service on Gulfstream jets, and military aircraft.
Satellite internet over fiber?
The satellite internet is more useful in areas that have no fiber link connection. Also, the areas with no carrier network infrastructure can also be ideal for satellite connection. Ukraine case has shown the efficacy of such service when traditional internet connection faces outage.
How fascinating is it that people would be able to enjoy broadband WiFi internet during their flights? Drop your comments below.
