It appears that Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite constellation is not just aimed at providing high-speed Internet service. Based on recent filings with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Starlink also plans to introduce a range of related products to its portfolio, from dedicated phone service, emergency call backup and more affordable low-cost Internet access to customers. the Lifeline program of the US government.
Details of Starlink’s extensive services are mentioned in SpaceX’s petition to the FCC for an designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC). According to the company, led by Elon Musk, an ETC designation is needed in some US states where the satellite internet program has received government funding to provide internet access to underserved areas. It is also necessary to receive a refund from the FCC’s Lifeline program, which offers discounts on telecommunications services for low-income customers.
Starlink’s beta today provides Internet access only, but SpaceX noted during its submission that ‘Starlink Services will provide voice telephony services, including: (a) access to the voice switch to the public switching network (‘ PSTN ‘) or its functional equivalent; (b) usage minutes for local services provided free of charge to end users; (c) access to emergency services; and (d) toll reduction services to qualify low-income consumers in accordance with 47 CFR §§ 54.500, ev. Starlink Services will provide voice services on an independent basis at rates that are reasonably comparable to urban rates. ”
SpaceX further states that in its base plan, Starlink Services will provide telephone services that connect consumers to its MSP platform using its network capacity, which is available to consumers through equipment for their customers. Interestingly, the Elon Musk-led company added that Starlink customers have the option to use a conventional third-party phone for their service. This can be an important selling point for the service, especially considering the robust options of the mobile market today.
Like other VoIP providers, SpaceX’s FCC files also mentioned that Starlink will sell 24-hour battery backup to customers. With such a product, customers can access Starlink’s services, even in the event of a power outage or other emergency. These redundancies will also not only be applied at the user level, as backups will also be implemented at the network level, according to Ars Technica.
At the user level, Starlink Services offers a 24-hour battery backup option for user equipment that provides the ability to make phone calls in the event of a power outage. At the system level, Starlink Services builds redundancy into the network. For example, each user will have several satellites to communicate with. In addition, each satellite will have several port sites to communicate with. “The Starlink traffic routing system ensures that each user operates bandwidth before users who demand more bandwidth grant additional throughput, giving the Starlink network robustness in high-throughput emergencies,” SpaceX noted.
Starlink’s battery backup technology is likely to be cost – effective and leading the way, as Tesla, an electric motor and energy company also led by Elon Musk, develops its own battery cells. If SpaceX finally utilizes Tesla batteries like the company’s custom-made 4680 cells, Starlink’s 24-hour backup batteries could very well become one of the best in the industry.
Aside from a dedicated phone service and a 24-hour backup battery, SpaceX also discussed a program that would bring Starlink’s services to low-income households. The SpaceX FCC files did not contain much detail about this program at first. Since the Lifeline program currently offers a monthly subsidy of $ 9.25 for low-income households to gain broadband access or a monthly $ 5.25 per household subsidy for telephone services, as well as the fact that the Starlink currently costs $ 99 a month, it seems there is a fair chance that SpaceX will offer a cheaper version of its satellite internet service in the future.
Read below the SpaceC FCC petition for an ETC designation.
Starlink Services LLC ETC Designation Application.pdf by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
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