Image: Amazon
Amazon’s satellite internet service, Project Kuiper, recently showed off gigabit-level download speeds in a new demo, highlighting its ambition to take on SpaceX’s Starlink (via PCMag).
In a video shared by Project Kuiper head Rajeev Badyal on LinkedIn, the service hit 1,289 Mbps on Ookla’s Speedtest.net. The milestone was achieved using Kuiper’s enterprise-grade customer terminal, which Amazon says is designed to support 1 Gbps connections. By comparison, the company’s standard dish is expected to max out at 400 Mbps — roughly in line with what Starlink’s current consumer hardware can deliver.
Still, the demo doesn’t reflect real-world conditions. With just over 100 satellites currently in orbit and no customers on the network yet, Kuiper has plenty of spare capacity. Once the system goes live and starts serving users concurrently, performance will vary.
Amazon only launched its first Kuiper satellites this past April and still needs to deploy many more to offer continuous service. The company hasn’t announced a customer launch date yet. However, Kuiper is already sharing in government broadband funding alongside Starlink, with U.S. states like Wyoming tapping the service to connect underserved areas at speeds of at least 150 Mbps.
Starlink isn’t standing still. Back in June, the company launched its new $1,999 Performance kit, which currently delivers up to 400 Mbps and promises an upgrade to gigabit speeds via software updates sometime next year. SpaceX has long been working to bring Starlink’s speeds up to gigabit levels, with its next-generation V3 satellites expected to finally push the effort across the finish line once launches begin.
Amazon says it plans to share more results soon, including Kuiper’s upload speed tests. But for now, the gigabit demo underscores the company’s push to establish itself as a serious Starlink rival.
Taking aim at Starlink huh? Well it is a pretty big target to hit I guess, 8075 satellites currently in operation (GROK). The problem is though that Kuiper has really small darts/arrows/spears and any hits will be pretty much meaningless. Kuiper's only chance at competing will be in niche markets (Starlink would win any price wars) or IF they came out with totally game changing, new disruptive technology and even then the cost of hiring SpaceX to launch their satellites would make them noncompetitive again! The cost of entry here (time, tech and money) is a massive barrier to overcome. Competition is good but just like Tesla with legacy auto, they don't have any real competition because none of those players are profitable/sustainable as the EV transition unfolds.