SpaceX has begun a limited launch of what it’s calling “Starlink Mini.” The device is a smaller version of the dish that works with Starlink LEO satellite broadband service. It’s also portable.
The product includes the dish/terminal, a kickstand, a pipe adapter, DC power cable, power supply and Starlink plug. The dish measures just under 12 inches by just over 10 inches by just under two inches and weighs about two-and-a-half pounds (just over three pounds when the kickstand and cable are included.)
In the U.S., the product is available only to “a small group of customers” by invitation only.
The primary target market includes countries where the cost of Starlink service is too high for a large percentage of citizens. Initial markets include Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama.
Customers signing up for service will get slower speeds than they would with one of SpaceX’s conventional terminals. The company specifies speeds of 50-100 Mbps for the Starlink Mini service, compared to 150-250 Mbps for the standard service plan.
SpaceX cautioned those interested in the new offering that “You cannot transfer your Starlink Mini Kit to customers outside of your country.”
And while the product may be portable, it shouldn’t be put into mobile use, the company cautioned.
In a blog post, SpaceX CEO and CTO Elon Musk noted that he was able to set up the device in less than five minutes.
“This product will change the world,” he boasted.
SpaceX Director of Starlink Network Mike Nikolls also posted about the new offering, noting that SpaceX is ramping production and that the device would be available in international markets soon. Accompanying the post was a photo of a small dog with the device to show how compact the device is.
Considering that SpaceX is testing the Starlink Mini in the U.S., perhaps the product eventually will be commercially available more broadly here.
It would appear that the company is at least somewhat concerned about the price of Starlink customer premises equipment in the U.S., as it recently reduced the price of its newest commercially available device on a limited basis.
The news about the Starlink Mini came just days after Comcast announced that it would use Starlink to serve business customers outside the cableco’s traditional broadband service footprint.
