[ad_1]
Amazon details its affordable satellite internet antenna.
In February, we learned that Amazon is preparing to launch more than 3,000 “Project Kuiper” broadband satellites into orbit. The move will offer internet to millions, similar to SpaceX’s Starlink. The company is giving us our first look at three antennas that will use the network.
Amazon’s low-cost antenna will come in three different sizes, ranging from 100 megabits per second to nearly 1 gigabit, making it ideal for a wide range of customer and business applications.
The first option from Project Kuiper is a small, ultra-compact antenna designed to go anywhere. It’s about 7 inches in size and weighs only 1 pound, but it will offer speeds of up to 100 Mbps to customers. I imagine the smaller model will appeal to RV users and those on the go.
So the “standard” model is similar to what we’ve seen from StarLink, costing less than $400 and reaching speeds approaching 400 Mbps. It’s touted as the perfect choice for residential and small business customers.
And finally, Amazon also plans to release a professional-grade antenna designed for business or government users. This third antenna offers incredible broadband speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second. It is huge, measuring 19 × 30 inches, and can be used for telecom applications.
Amazon’s blog posts said: “Project Kuiper is Amazon’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. Their mission is to bridge the digital divide by providing fast, affordable broadband to communities that are underserved or underserved by traditional communications technologies.”
We don’t have many other details about availability or pricing. For comparison, SpaceX’s Starlink for residential users costs $599 to install, then costs $119 per month and offers speeds between 50 and 200 Mbps.
We assume Amazon will try to get to a similar price, and it’s already a bit ahead with the residential option set to retail for less than $400. The Kuiper Project won’t be available to customers until late 2024 after the first production satellites head to low-Earth orbit in the first half of the new year.
Source: Amazon
[ad_2]
