For over a year, SpaceX’s previously-flown Falcon 9 rockets have deployed sixteen batches of internet-beaming Starlink satellites.
To date, there are approximately 960 satellites in orbit out of over 4,000 that will one day be part of the Starlink broadband constellation.
SpaceX is currently offering a Starlink beta service to select customers living in Canada and northern United States.
As more satellites are deployed to low Earth orbit, the company will be able to invite more customers to beta test the network in January. SpaceX already earned approval to connect Australia next year. e.
According to a report by Kathimerini, SpaceX plans to offer Starlink broadband satellite internet service in Greece during the first quarter of 2021.
SpaceX submitted a request with the country’s regulatory agencies – the Hellenic Telecommunications and Posts Commission (EETT) and the Digital Governance Ministry – to request a service and operation license.
Starlink customers receive internet from the satellites that operate at around 550-kilometers above Earth via a Starlink Kit. The kit includes a phased-array antenna dish and a Wi-Fi router device that enables users to connect the network wirelessly to computerized devices.
"We’re continuously improving all of the parts of the system. We update all of our satellites weekly, and push software updates to the Starlink dishes, WiFi routers, and phone app every couple weeks," a SpaceX engineer said in November during a Reddit 'Ask Me Anything' discussion.
"All the feedback so far has been invaluable and is being directly incorporated into engineering decisions across the organization," they stated, adding "This has been really inspiring to us all. We're incredibly excited to continue on this journey together as we bring internet to disconnected populations across the world. And, then to Mars!"
