Starlink satellite internet could soon be available on cruise ships
And in planes, trains and automobiles too
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The next time you go on a cruise, you could be enjoying high-speed Wi-Fi provided byStarlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk andSpaceX.
Cruise line Royal Caribbean has submitted afiling to the US Federal Communications Commission(FCC) requesting that Starlink be approved for use on moving vehicles (viaPC Mag).In the filing, the company’s Vice President John Maya says that “working with Space X Services Inc., we believe we have identified a true next-generation solution for our vessels.”
Currently, Starlink is available in over 20 countries, including parts of the US, UK, and Australia. Most recentlythe service added Ukraineto the regions it supports in an effort to keep citizens in the war-torn country online.
Analysis: Travelling by the Starlink
You’ll find plenty of complaints online about Starlink internet if you go looking, from astronomers concerned about the disruption it could bring to the night sky to those who just aren’t fans of the company’s controversial CEO.
But chief among the issues users have is that the service’s signal is very easy to block – so easy in fact, that some have reported that asingle treeis all that’s stood between them and access to Musk’s satellite Wi-Fi.
Out on the open sea, though, trees and other potential signal-blockers wouldn’t be a problem – and Starlink could enable Royal Caribbean to offer a significantly improved internet service to its passengers.
Currently, Royal Caribbean uses an internet service called Voom. We haven’t been able to find official details of its speed, but users typically report download speeds of at best 5Mbps (viaHighSeasCrusing).By comparison, while Starlink’s Residential service promises to deliver speeds of up to 150Mbps, Royal Caribbean would likely useStarlink Business, the company’s commercialarm, which promises speeds of between 150Mbps and 500Mbps; and considering that this connection would have to be shared across an entire ship it may be looking for speeds towards the higher end of that range, or even faster.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
If the FFC approves Royal Caribbean’s request, and the rollout of Starlink’s service to its ships proves a success, such collaborations might not stop at cruise ships – we could see Starlink being used on trains and even airplanes.
And who knows – you might even be able to have Starlink beamed straight to yourTesla car.
Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
Google is testing interactive voice searches with results that update in real time
Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, November 8 (game #1019)
Black Friday is here: Sony XM5 over-ears drop to their lowest-seen price – act fast!
