It is quite a conundrum how to best bringbroadband to remote, rural and underserved areas. Laying fiber-optic lines is an expensive, demanding process. Cable internet coverage is actually decreasing, and though 5G home internet is on the rise, speeds and reliability are at the mercy of tower proximity and network congestion. DSL is next to useless.
This story is part of Crossing the Broadband Divide, CNET's coverage of how the country is working toward making broadband access universal.
The solution, maybe: satellite internet. Not the single-satellite, geostationary services from Hughesnet and Viasat that have been around for years with minimal improvements, but an entire constellation of high-tech, low-orbiting satellites.
Starlink has shown that, in numbers (like, in the thousands), low Earth orbit or LEO satellites can deliver widespread broadband availability while lowering latency, increasing speed potential and eliminating restrictive data caps of traditional satellite internet.
Locating local internet providers
The challenge is getting such an ambitious project off the ground. Amazon received FCC approval in July 2020 to deploy and operate Project Kuiper (ki -- as in kite -- per) satellites. Since then, the tech and e-commerce giant has been busy building its broadband business, but there’s still a way to go before it’s ready for home use. Here’s what to know about Project Kuiper as of August 2024.
What is Project Kuiper?
Project Kuiper is Amazon’s initiative to increase broadband availability worldwide by deploying thousands of low-orbiting satellites that will send and receive internet signals all over the globe. The service is designed for residential and commercial applications, offering a high-speed connection for use in homes, businesses, government agencies and other institutions, particularly those in underserved areas.
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That sounds a lot like Starlink, and I’d say it’s similar at least in intent and delivery. The technology and resulting capabilities are different.
In addition to thousands of advanced LEO satellites, approximately 6,000 orbiting somewhere between 367 to 391 miles high, Project Kuiper will leverage a network of ground-based antennas, fiber connections and customer terminals to deliver service.
Amazon claims that the standard customer terminal, which you would use to receive fixed home internet service, has the potential to deliver speeds up to 400 megabits per second. That’s a good deal faster than current speed expectations from Starlink (25 to 100Mbps with standard service), and the equipment could come at a lower cost despite Starlink reducing its purchase fee in select areas. Commercial terminals boast an even faster speed potential, up to 1 gigabit per second.
Sounds great. When can I sign up? Not for another year or so, at least.
When will Project Kuiper internet be available?
According to an Amazon spokesperson, satellite manufacturing is well underway at Amazon’s production facility in Kirkland, Washington. The first launch of production satellites is scheduled for Q4 2024, and the company aims to “quickly increase the cadence of launches following that first mission.”
Once a few hundred satellites are in orbit, the ability to broadcast broadband doesn’t take long. “We plan to begin rolling out Project Kuiper commercial service next year [2025], starting with service demonstrations for our earliest enterprise customers, then consumer beta testing and then general availability later in the year.”
So, Project Kuiper’s home internet service could arrive sometime in late 2025. Don’t plan to cancel your current internet service just yet. Not everyone across the US will be eligible to sign up right away.
Regional availability will vary
Project Kuiper’s satellite fleet will operate within 56° north and south of the Equator. That covers most of North America (but excludes much of Alaska), and nearly all of South America, plus a great deal of Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe.
Not all projected coverage areas will be immediately eligible for service at launch. Amazon hasn’t yet revealed which locations will be the first to receive eligibility, but did state that “regions will come online quickly as we add satellites to the constellation.”
So far, so good for Project Kuiper
Project Kuiper launched two prototype satellites in October 2023 and, within 30 days of launch, reportedly achieved a 100% success rate. The satellites were later intentionally removed from orbit in May 2024 as part of Project Kuiper’s commitment to space safety and sustainability.
In December 2023, Project Kuiper secured 80 rockets from four launch providers: Arianespace, SpaceX (yes, the parent company of Starlink), ULA and, of course, the Jeff Bezos-founded Blue Origin. The rocket acquisition and FCC approvals for satellite launches and operation set Project Kuiper up to begin offering broadband for commercial and residential use sometime in 2025.
CNET will keep you updated on significant developments, including when and where Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet will be available for residential use in the US, what speeds you can expect and how much it will cost.
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