SpaceX’s satellite internet system, Starlink, is now serving over 69,000 active users simultaneously, according to CEO Elon Musk.
Specifically, the network exceeded the number 69,420, a “strategically important threshold,” Musk joked in a tweet last Friday. (69 is a reference to a sexual position, 420 is a codeword for consuming cannabis.)
The number reveals Starlink’s growing expansion. Back in February, the satellite internet system was serving just over 10,000 users in the US and abroad. Since then, the company has continued building out the network by launching additional batches of Starlink satellites into orbit.
In a follow-up tweet, Musk said: “All 72 orbital planes activate in August, plus many other improvements, enabling global coverage, except for polar regions, which will take another 6 months.”
That’s good news for consumers. Starlink has been facing massive demand in areas stuck with slow and limited broadband options. The network can currently deliver internet speeds from 50Mbps to 150Mbps or higher, although users have reported instability issues with the service.
Starlink costs $99 a month, plus a $499 upfront fee for the satellite dish and Wi-Fi modem. You can sign up for access on the official Starlink website. But depending where you live, you may have to wait until “late 2022” before the network becomes available in your area. The service is also primarily targeting rural and remote regions, instead of heavily developed suburban and urban areas.
Last week, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell also commented on Starlink’s subscriber base. "We've got almost 100,000 users. Half a million people want to be users,” she said at the Macquarie Technology Summit, according to ZDNet.
However, one challenge the company is facing is building the Starlink satellite dishes users need to install at their homes. “We need the electronic piece part situation to settle down so that we can actually build the user terminals for the folks that want the service,” she said, likely alluding to the ongoing chip shortage. The other hurdle is securing regulatory approval from a given country to serve users within its borders.