Space based communication company Starlink just signed its first airline customer
This is disruption in motion, and it won't be long before other airlines and regions of the world ditch their current telco's and sign up with Elon Musk's Starlink.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2022) 'Space based communication company Starlink just signed its first airline customer', 311 Institute, 29 April. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/space-based-communication-company-starlink-just-signed-its-first-airline-customer/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
SpaceX’s space based communications company StarLink, which over the years has been trying to connect the world by launching tens of thousands of low earth orbit satellites and delivering internet speeds of up to 500Mbps, has found a new customer for its satellite-powered internet, inking a deal with independent air carrier JSX to offer onboard Wi-Fi to customers later this year.
That makes the airline the first to carry SpaceX's Starlink internet service, as the private space company continues shoring up the technology by launching more satellites into orbit.
The Future of Communications, by Keynote Speaker Matthew Griffin
After launching the first set of satellites in 2019, SpaceX has been rapidly building out its constellation and networks and selling it in an attempt to blanket the planet in high-speed internet. There are currently around 2,000 Starlink satellites in orbit and plans to deploy many thousands more, though the program isn't without its detractors decrying their contribution to pollution of the night sky.
In any case, SpaceX continues to push the service and even recently introduced a premium option for high-end users. It has also been working on ways to implement access on commercial aircraft, testing the service with several aircraft over the past year or so, including those from Delta Airlines, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal this week.
But JSX will be the first cab off the rank as they say, and says the service will be free for every customer onboard when it launches later this year. The airline bills itself as a "hop-on jet service," functioning as a short-distance carrier offering 30-seat charter flights between US cities including Las Vegas, Phoenix and Oakland.
And while this is a first for both companies by penning this deal StarLink has now putt incumbents in the communications sector on notice that this is just the start of its plans for literal world domination as it continues to scale up.
Source: JSX (Twitter)
FAQ
Why does this matter?
This is disruption in motion, and it won't be long before other airlines and regions of the world ditch their current telco's and sign up with Elon Musk's Starlink.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- JSX jsx.com
- Wall Street Journal wsj.com
- JSX (Twitter) twitter.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 29 April 2022. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2022). Space based communication company Starlink just signed its first airline customer. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/space-based-communication-company-starlink-just-signed-its-first-airline-customer/
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