Elon Musk’s Starlink filings show plans for phone service and low-income web access

Elon Musk’s constellation, Starlink, appears not only to provide high-speed internet access. Based on recent filings to the FCC, Starlink also plans to offer a host of related products to its portfolio, from dedicated phone service, emergency backup for voice calls, and affordable internet access to low-income customers through its Lifeline affiliate program. To the US government.

Details of Starlink’s extended services have been cited in the SpaceX petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for designation as a Qualifying Telecom Company (ETC). According to the company led by Elon Musk, ETC is required to be set in some US states where The Satellite Internet Program has received government funding To provide internet access to disadvantaged areas. Compensation is also required from the FCC’s Lifeline Program, which offers discounts on telecom services to low-income customers.

Today’s Starlink beta only provides internet access, but in its portfolio, SpaceX indicated that “Starlink Services will provide voice calling services, including: (a) Voice access to the Public Telephone Network (“ PSTN ”) or its functional equivalent (B) Minutes of use for local service provided without any additional charges to end users; (c) Access to emergency services; and (d) Fee setting services to qualify low-income consumers in accordance with 47 CFR §§ 54.500 et seq. Voice services on a stand-alone basis at rates that are reasonably comparable to urban rates.

SpaceX also stated that in its baseline plan, “Starlink Services will provide telephony services that connect consumers to its MSP platform using its network capacity, which is available to consumers through customer workplace equipment.” Interestingly, the company led by Elon Musk added that Starlink customers will have the option of using a traditional third-party phone in order to service it. This could be a major selling point for the service, especially given the robust options of today’s mobile market.

Like other VoIP providers, FCC Files from SpaceX also mentioned that Starlink will sell a 24-hour backup battery to customers. Such a product would allow customers to access Starlink services even in the event of a power outage or other emergency. These iterations will not only be implemented at the user level, as backups will also be performed at the network level, according to the Ars Technica.

At the user level, Starlink Services will offer a 24-hour battery backup option for user equipment that will provide the ability to make phone calls in the event of a power outage. At the system level, Starlink Services builds redundancy in the network. For example, each user will have satellites Multiple industry in visibility it can communicate with. Additionally, each satellite will have multiple gateway locations to connect to. Starlink’s traffic routing system ensures that each user’s bandwidth is served before users demanding more bandwidth get additional throughput Dedicated, giving the Starlink network durability in high throughput emergencies, “SpaceX noted.

Starlink’s battery backup technology is likely to be cost effective and industry-leading given that Tesla, the electric and energy vehicle company led by Elon Musk, is developing its own custom battery cells. If SpaceX ends up leveraging Tesla’s batteries like the company’s custom-designed 4,680 cells, Starlink’s 24-hour backup batteries could become one of the best, if not the best in the industry.

Away from 24-hour dedicated telephone service and battery backup, SpaceX also discussed a program that would provide Starlink services to low-income families. SpaceX’s FCC files haven’t included many details about this program at the moment. However, bearing in mind that the Lifeline program currently provides $ 9.25 per month support for low-income families to get broadband access or $ 5.25 per month per family support for phone service, plus the fact that the Starlink beta currently costs $ 99 per month, it looks like There is a fair chance that SpaceX will offer a low-cost version of satellite internet service in the future.

Read SpaceX’s Federal Communications Commission petition for the ETC designation below.

Starlink Services LLC ETC Designation Application.pdf by Simon Alvarez On Scribd

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