Starlink faces outages across US: Users report connectivity issues, blackouts
What's the story
Elon Musk's satellite-based internet service, Starlink, is facing outages in several parts of the US. According to outage-tracking site Downdetector, nearly 1,000 users reported issues with the service at around 12:30am EDT (10:00am IST) today. A majority of these reports (86%) indicated problems with connectivity, while some 14% users even described a "total blackout." "Starlink works rather poorly compared to the claims," a user wrote in DownDetector's comments section.
Service overview
About Starlink and its operations
Starlink, a satellite internet constellation, is operated by SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company. The service provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet globally, with a special focus on remote and underserved areas. It uses thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that communicate with ground stations and user terminals to deliver internet service. Users connect through a dish antenna and modem, with typical speeds ranging from 50 to 200Mbps, depending on location, weather conditions, and network congestion.
Availability
Expanding rapidly since its public beta launch
Since its public beta launch in late 2020, Starlink has expanded rapidly and is now available in numerous countries. This includes parts of the US, Europe, South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The service aims to bridge the digital divide by providing high-speed internet access to remote and underserved areas across the globe.
India launch
Starlink's entry in India
India's space regulator, IN-SPACe, has granted official approval to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (SSCPL), a subsidiary of Starlink, to offer satellite-based internet services in the country. The service will utilize the Gen1 satellite constellation to deliver high-speed broadband. The authorisation is valid for five years or until the Gen1 satellites are retired, whichever comes first. However, Starlink must still obtain additional approvals, licenses, and clearances from other government bodies before beginning operations.