The official Starlink website has been amended to reflect that a chip shortage is delaying orders for the satellite internet service, according to a PCMag article.
On Thursday night, the Starlink website launched a new Support/FAQ section, which includes a query about when consumers will receive the Starlink satellite dish, which is required to connect to the broadband system.
“Silicon shortages have delayed production which has impacted our ability to fulfill orders,” the FAQ says. “Please visit your Account page for the most recent estimate on when you can expect your order to be fulfilled.”
SpaceX has updated its website in preparation for the statewide launch of Starlink, which CEO Elon Musk has stated will take place by the end of the month. However, the mention of silicon shortages indicates that SpaceX is still working to ramp up supplies in order to satisfy the approximately 500,000 people who have already signed up to check out the service.
According to Musk, Starlink will also complete its beta testing phase in October. The new Starlink website reflects this by removing the term “beta service” from the top page.
The website has now been updated to state that Starlink can now provide “download speeds between 100 Mb/s and 200 Mb/s in most locations, with latency as low as 20ms.” During the beta period, the former site advised customers to “expect to see data speeds vary from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms in most locations.”
The new site adds: “Using advanced satellites in a low orbit, Starlink enables video calls, online gaming, streaming, and other high data rate activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet.”
Other fascinating data about the service are also included in the updated Starlink FAQ.
For example, it jokingly notes: “Starlink is not designed to handle hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, meteors, dinosaurs, or other extreme forces of nature.”
If you live in an exceptional hot or chilly area, the FAQ says: “Starlink is rated to operate outdoors between -30 to +50 degrees Celsius, or -22 to +122 degrees Fahrenheit, and the Wi-Fi router and power supply are also rated to operate indoors between 0 to +30 degrees Celsius, or +32 to +86 degrees Fahrenheit. During moments of extreme heat or cold, Starlink may experience slightly reduced performance.”
Expect a significant wait if you’re a new customer interested in Starlink. The Starlink website began pushing out wait times in more places to “late 2022, early 2023” earlier this week.
