Mon. Dec 11th, 2023
SpaceX to Offer New Starlink Dish as Part of Beta Trial for Consumers

SpaceX will be introducing a new “standard” dish as part of a beta trial before making it available to all customers. The company stated that the ability to purchase the Starlink Standard Kit is currently by invitation only to a small group of early customers in the US.

This follows a similar approach taken by SpaceX with its “Gen 3” wireless router for Starlink that supports Wi-Fi 6. The company quietly introduced the router in July, inviting select customers in the US to try it out for a fee of $199. The cost of the new Starlink dish has not been announced, but it is possible that it will be expensive because it will also include a Gen 3 router with the new hardware. In contrast, the current Starlink hardware costs $599.

The new dish represents a third-generation Starlink terminal for residential users. Some noticeable changes include the replacement of the self-rotating motors with a stationary dish with a kickstand, a slightly taller design, a higher waterproof rating, and increased electricity requirements. These improvements suggest that the new dish will be more powerful than the current one.

Although SpaceX has not disclosed the internet speeds that the new dish will offer, an FCC filing described it as “a high-performance solution for consumers that improves upon SpaceX Services’ previously authorized fixed user terminal models.”

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