SpaceX's Starlink Rolls Out in Asia, Starting With Japan

pcmag.com:

SpaceX is finally expanding its satellite internet service to Asia by bringing Starlink to Japan. 

SpaceX’s official account tweeted(Opens in a new window) the news today, using the Japanese language. The Starlink website also shows that the satellite internet system can serve subscribers in Tokyo and the northern half of Honshu, Japan’s largest island. 

The official Starlink map(Opens in a new window) from SpaceX adds that the rest of Japan is scheduled to have access at some point during the fourth quarter. The company is charging customers in the country ¥12,300 ($84.46) per month for the service, and ¥73,000 ($501) for the Dish hardware. In the US, Starlink costs $110 per month, along with $599 for the hardware.

The expansion into Asia is important for Starlink partly because the satellite internet service still represents a financial loss for SpaceX. Earlier this month, company CEO Elon Musk tweeted(Opens in a new window): “Should be noted that Starlink is still far from cash flow positive. All LEO (low-Earth orbit) communications constellations to date have gone bankrupt, so any support is super helpful.”

SpaceX is also aiming to bring Starlink to the Philippines in Q4 and South Korea during next year’s Q1. The company has also been preparing to expand the service to India, one of Asia’s largest countries by population, but it’s still waiting for regulatory approval. 

As for China, SpaceX looks like it’s steering clear of the country. In an interview with The Financial Times, Musk said the Chinese government has “sought assurances” that he will never sell Starlink in the country. The reason is likely because an unregulated Starlink could help local Chinese citizens bypass the country’s strict censorship. A few