Starlink in Ukraine: Elon Musk's satellite internet service reaches Ukraine after Russian invasion, but what happens next?
A truck full of Elon Musk's Starlink Internet dishes has arrived in Ukraine, and the country's deputy prime minister has thanked the founders of Tesla and SpaceX.
It is not clear where these dishes will be used, but it is possible that the government will use them.
At the moment, access to the Internet in Ukraine is much better, but with the escalation of the conflict, there are fears that it could be disrupted.Meanwhile, various businesses are trying to acquire these dishes as an alternative.
How does Starlink's satellite internet work?
Plug in the dish, and it will automatically connect to the nearest satellite out of the more than 2000 Starlinks (satellites) in the sky.The satellite will then be connected to a nearby ground station that provides Internet service.
These gateways exist all over the world, but they should not be too far from the place where you want to access the Internet. Ukraine is fortunate to have a gateway to neighboring Poland.
It transfers the Internet connection from the gateway to the satellite and from the satellite to the terminal. Users then simply plug in their router terminal and leave the rest to technology.
Delays have been a major problem in many types of satellite internet in the past. But Starlink's satellite network is relatively new. When these satellites operate close to Earth's orbit, the delay is observed in milliseconds instead of seconds.
This internet is usually quite expensive. In the UK it is available for 495 euros including dish shipping and then you have to pay 89 euros for the monthly subscription. There was no indication that the Ukrainian public would be asked to pay for the service.
In order to work properly, its terminal has to face the sky without any hindrance. With the help of an app, users can also find the best place to keep it.
Once setup is complete it changes speed. On Monday, a user who had access to the terminal said that his internet speed had exceeded 200 Mbps for a moment.
Is starlink could Help Ukrainian people?
Businesses are trying to reach as many terminals as possible. But there are difficulties in finding them."We are trying to buy a receiver but I am not sure we will succeed."
Currently the Internet service in Ukraine is working normally, but if the network is bad, the business community must have an alternative plan."There has been no communication between family and friends in recent hours,"
Starlink can create connections by setting up personal hotspots for people who are close to its device. So it will work for journalists, resistance groups and the elected government
If there is a blackout in the queue, the device will enable journalists and politicians to provide information to the world.
"There are very few people who have access to these devices, but it is better than a complete blackout of information."