Starlink Hits 400k Subscribers, Introduces Portable Dishes

Starlink recently stated to the FCC that it has 400,000 global customers, nearly tripling from the 145,000 customers it had when I last blogged about Starlink in January. This figure includes subscribers across 36 countries, and while Starlink does not specify its US-based subscribership, its broadband service is currently available in 48 states.

Starlink also recently introduced a "portability" feature. For an extra $25 per month, Starlink subscribers can bring and use their satellite dish wherever they want. Portability should be useful for activities like camping, road trips, and generally improving Internet access in rural areas and other hard-to-serve terrains.

Image Copyright: Jud McCraine. Reshared without alterations.

Portability could increase broadband competition on the basis of product quality because it makes Starlink a hybrid between fixed and mobile offerings. The feature could differentiate Starlink from fixed broadband offerings by adding dual fixed-or-mobile capability to a single subscription. And the feature could also differentiate Starlink from existing mobile offerings by enabling mobility without the need to stay in range of wireless infrastructure.