To increase the focus and reach of Starlink, Elon Musk has started partnership with Google to provide its cloud computing resources. This will allow them to fulfill their dream of delivering the internet around the world.
They made the announcement quite recently, and SpaceX confirmed that it would install Starlink’s terminals at the Google cloud centers. This will allow them to provide internet to all the willing users and use Starlink to deliver it at high speeds. All thanks to Google’s superior tech.
The Starlink-Google cloud capabilities are going to be available in the market by the end of 2021-2022. In addition, SpaceX will install its dirt terminal at Google’s New Albany, Ohio data center. With upcoming partnership plans with the tech giant in the coming months.
Starlink
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation owned and operated by Elon Musk, who heads SpaceX. It has around 1600 satellites in its network and can provide internet to most of the earth if needed.
It can provide internet for users on the ground and give net access to planes without using any mobile cell tower. This is possible due to the unique tech of satellite communication. Which delivers the internet directly from the satellite to your smartphone after having it processed by high-speed servers.
The latter part of Starlink’s work forms the basis of the deal that is being talked about. Having a good set of cloud computing services is necessary for any telecommunication industry. Partnering with Google can allow Starlink to reach a broader customer base and offer superior services.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing refers to the act of storing the data on a central server that is located somewhere else. It acts as the master server and provides all the authorized users with access to it simultaneously.
It not only stores data but also helps in communication between two nodes. This is the aspect that telecommunication industries focus on. As a result, they can provide better services with superior computing and communication powers for around similar prices.
This domain is mainly dominated by three players- Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Starlink has previously partnered up with Azure and has collaborated with Google this time around.
Elon musk’s Starlink Google Partnership
The partnership is a natural by-product of the alliance between Google and SpaceX. Back in 2015 when the former invested about $900 million into the company, which covered the costs of tech utilized in the Starlink network.
Since then, SpaceX has launched more than 1500 satellites into orbit. It began its beta program last year in the US and boasts of about 10000 users across the US, Canada, and a few European countries.
Rivals
The competition is fierce between Facebook, Amazon, and SpaceX to provide internet for all the people around the globe. Amazon aims to launch more than 3000 satellites, orbiting at roughly the same height as Starlink’s. Elon Musk’s Starlink Google Partnership is another win for Google, aiming to get more business share than Amazon’s AWS. Meanwhile, Amazon has claimed that they will leverage all the services offered by their own satellite and use it to supercharge their AWS cloud services.
On the other hand, Facebook is more focused on creating and deploying the metaverse. However, its plan of implementing global internet connectivity is still up, albeit through the use of drones, which will be solar-powered.
Elon Musk’s Starlink Google Partnership is no surprise, though, as SpaceX partnered with Microsoft’s Azure last year in a similar pact.
Amazon web Services
AWS or Amazon Web Services is the cloud offering of the billionaire tech giant Amazon. It launched way back in 2006 and has since made leaps in the cloud computing niche. So much so that many reputable companies base their businesses off of their servers.
Elon Musk’s Starlink Google Partnership brings competition to Amazon on two fronts, one with SpaceX and the other with Google. To compete with both, Amazon has promised to launch more than 3000 satellites for global network coverage and run them through AWS services to provide seamless service.
Meta
Meta, formerly Facebook, had first latched onto the idea of providing internet through the use of drones. The idea does have its benefits, such as the low cost of implementation and easier maintenance, but the prototype is far from finished and has been abandoned.
Azure
Microsoft’s Azure competes with Google cloud. While it does trump the latter regarding market share, the deal might just tip the scales. But the previous partnership between SpaceX and Azure is bound to work in its favor as well. Elon Musk’s Starlink Google Partnership can become a source of support for the companies. If they play their cards well, it will lead to increased adoption of both, without hurting either business share.
Logistics
SpaceX plans to install its ground stations at the Google data centers, which will allow them to connect to SpaceX’s services seamlessly. Once the plan is underway, SpaceX also plans to increase its deliverables in different countries.
Profits
Investors are counting on the nascent cloud business that Google has to boost growth if SpaceX’s advertising starts losing steam. Additionally, with the exponential growth that Google has witnessed in the past couple of years, it is about time it got into the big leagues.
The deal is also a little off from what Google does typically. While computing or data requirements aren’t that big of a deal, Google and SpaceX have decided to rely on Google’s internal network connecting the data centers.
But this deviation from the norm has spelled profits for both the companies. In this manner, Starlink can provide high-speed internet services with superior quality when compared with its competitors.
Additional Notes
Cloud providers have now increasingly focussed on the communications industry. This has been particularly increased due to the advent of 5G technology. However, unlike rational communication networks, Starlink users can link up with the Google services and have high-speed internet connectivity delivered to their fingers.
This will increase the reachability of the internet in the more remote parts of the world and reduce latency and lag between responses, opening up a whole new avenue for consumers, especially the gaming community.
The deal is going to last for at least seven years and may extend if they get a positive response throughout the duration.
Future Plans
SpaceX plans to launch many more satellites into the LEO, covering 100 percent of the globe. However, SpaceX isn’t the only company trying to reap profits from this market. Amazon plans to have more than 3000 satellites in orbit to give fierce competition to SpaceX.
Elon Musk’s Starlink Google Partnership might extend if both the parties agree, and so far, it does seem like that. The benefits to both parties are enormous, and with the growing demand for high-speed internet, it will only gain steam.
That said, it will also get even more competitive in the future, especially with Microsoft and Amazon trying to get a slice of the pie as well. However, what new benchmarks can this relationship set? Only time itself can answer this question.
Conclusion
The internet race has just begun. Elon Musk’s Starlink Google Partnership, between two of the biggest companies in this niche, is sure to make some big waves, but the effects are yet to present themselves. The collaboration, while economically beneficial, is also a godsend for customers.
They can now choose between the many different carriers that offer these services and choose the best ones. But, conversely, every company providing a similar service will have to up its game in order to remain relevant in the future.
This is the textbook example of competition brewing high-class deliverables. However, the effect this deal will have on the market and its fellow competitors and customers will require some time to show results.
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