The First Aircraft With Starlink WiFi Will Launch In Spring

JAKARTA United Airlines, an airline for implementation in the US, announced last September that it would use Starlink internet services. The plan to use WiFi is likely to be accelerated.

According to The Verge report, the airline will test the WiFi Starlink in February. After that, Starlink will be tested on Embraer E-175's first commercial flight, a small aircraft used specifically for regional flights, in the spring.

The first aircraft equipped with Starlink is targeted to fly before the end of this year. The hope is that United Airlines can integrate the satellite-based WiFi to its entire fleet of nearly a thousand aircraft.

Currently, United Airlines already uses WiFi from four internet service providers in the US, including Intelsat, Panasonic, Viasat, and Starlink. Intelsat WiFi is used on regional jets, while Panasonic WiFi is used on wide-body jets.

Meanwhile, Viasat is used on most 737 Max, A319, and A321neo aircraft. United Airlines isn't the only airline to adopt Starlink. There are several companies that have revealed the same thing, namely JSX and Hawaiian.

However, both are still in the early stages of planning because they haven't been tested. So far, United Airlines became the first airline to use Starlink even though testing hasn't been carried out.

Starlink is an internet signal from SpaceX which is known to be very fast. The download speed offered is around 40-220Mbps and the upload speed is around 8'25Mbps per terminal. This network supports streaming, gaming, and video conferencing.