Tech mogul Elon Musk has said that the new Starlink internet service by SpaceX should be fully mobile later this year. Starlink aims to make web access more affordable for people in remote areas worldwide including in India.
The satellite broadband company will double the internet speed to 300 Mbps this year. The company currently promises speeds between 50 and 150 Mbps for the Starlink project that plans to deliver high-speed internet through a network of about 12,000 satellites. The company has already put over 1,200 of its Starlink satellites in orbit.
Responding to a follower on Twitter about the launch of the service, Musk said on Friday: "Yeah, should be fully mobile later this year, so you can move it anywhere or use it on an RV or truck in motion. We need a few more satellite launches to achieve compete coverage & some key software upgrades."
"Service uptime, bandwidth & latency are improving rapidly. Probably out of beta this summer," he added.
SpaceX has sought approval from regulators in the US to connect its Starlink satellite Internet network to large vehicles including trucks and ships.
The request, filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), marks a move to expand the Starlink satellite Internet network from rural areas to other sectors.
Musk has clarified that SpaceX is not connecting the Starlink satellite Internet network to Tesla cars.
"Not connecting Tesla cars to Starlink, as our terminal is much too big. This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks & Rvs," he said in a tweet.
SpaceX is currently offering the beta version of Starlink on pre-orders in India for a fully refundable deposit of $99.
*Edited from an IANS report