Amazon has unveiled a range of customer terminals that connect to its high-speed satellite network, Project Kuiper. In a blog post published on TuesdayAmazon says its designs are “smaller, more affordable and more capable” than competitors, such as the terminal offered by Elon Musk’s Starlink.
The company’s first device is the “standard” client terminal from Project Kuiper, whose design Amazon originally revealed in 2020. It measures less than 11 square inches and one inch thick. The terminal weighs less than five pounds – not including its mounting bracket – and is capable of delivering speeds of up to 400 Mbps. Amazon says it expects to produce this terminal for less than $400.
There’s also an even more compact terminal that weighs just a pound and measures just seven inches square. Amazon claims this device is its “smallest and most affordable” and can deliver speeds of up to 100 Mbps, making it ideal for anyone who needs a low-speed internet option or service. travel cost. Finally, Amazon presented its commercial terminal intended for use by large companies or government organizations. It’s the largest and most powerful of the three terminals, measuring 19 by 30 inches and offering speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
All of these terminals are equipped with Amazon’s internal baseband chip, dubbed Prometheus. According to Amazon, the chip “combines the processing power of a 5G modem chip found in modern smartphones, the ability of a cellular base station to handle traffic from thousands of customers at once, and the ability of a microwave link antenna to support a strong point. – point-to-point connection.
Project Kuiper is an initiative of Amazon to connect people to the Internet around the world using a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. Amazon is expected to launch its first set of satellites in the first half of 2024 and is expected to activate the service for its first customers later that year. It’s still unclear where Project Kuiper will start offering internet first, or how much it will cost customers.
“Our goal with Project Kuiper is not only to connect unserved and underserved communities, but also to delight them with the quality, reliability and value of their service,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of the Amazon’s technology for Project Kuiper, in a statement. .
