Starlink, the SpaceX subsidiary that provides wireless internet through a network of international satellites, is reportedly gearing up to switch its router out for a newer model.
The company began operating in Australia in 2020, and since then, it has become a sizeable competitor to the NBN, especially for people in remote areas after faster internet than what NBN Co’s Sky Muster satellite can provide.
And now, four years after the first Starlink satellites were put into orbit, the company is reportedly looking into upgrading some of the hardware.
As reported by PCMag, SpaceX is currently testing a router with the designation ‘UTR-231’, as authorised by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The biggest change between this new router and the current router appears to be the inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 – the current router only offers Wi-Fi 5.
Wi-Fi 6 is noticeably faster than Wi-Fi 5, but may be bottle-necked by Starlink’s theoretical maximum speeds. These may also see a speed boost, as Starlink may also be working on a new satellite dish, as caught by PCMag back in March 2023.
Back to the router though, it’s also expected that it will come with built-in Ethernet ports – a noticeably absent component of the original Starlink router, unless you wanted to buy an adapter.
All applications regarding the new Starlink router were approved, and at this point, it’s just a matter of waiting for the company to introduce it. A short-term confidentiality request, approved by the FCC to last for 180 days (until the actual marketing of the device), is keeping the user manual, several photos, and other documents from being publically available.
It’s definitely not an unexpected development from Starlink – the company has been booming, and just this month, both Optus and Telstra announced partnerships with the satellite provider to offer wireless internet plans.
Let’s just hope the prices come down.