Amazon today launched a batch of terminals for customers connected to Project Kuiper, its broadband satellite network today.
The US company, a leader in e-commerce, said on its blog that the new terminal aims to be "smaller, cheaper and more powerful" than competitors such as billionaire Elon Musk's company Starlink.
The company's first device will be the standard Project Cooper Station, whose design Amazon revealed in mid-December 2020.
It measures just under 11 square inches wide and 1 inch thick. The device weighs approximately 2kg (without mounting bracket) and can deliver speeds of up to 400Mb/s. Amazon says it expects to produce the station for less than $400.
Amazon also offers a small plant that weighs about 450 grams and is no more than 7 inches in size. The company says the device is its "smallest and most affordable" yet, with speeds of up to 100Mbps, making it ideal for anyone who needs an internet option at home.
Amazon also offers professional terminals for large companies or government agencies. It's the largest and most powerful of the three stations, measuring 19 inches long by 30 inches wide and offering speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
 |
| standard terminal |
 |
| Minor terminal |
 |
| Grand Terminal |
All three terminals are equipped with Amazon's proprietary chip called Prometheus. According to Amazon, the chip combines the processing power of 5G modem chips in modern smartphones, the ability of cellular base stations to process traffic from thousands of customers simultaneously, and the ability of microwave transmission antennas to provide robust point-to-point links to backers.
Specifically, Project Cooper is an Amazon initiative to connect people around the world to the Internet using a constellation of satellites that orbit Earth at low altitudes.
Amazon plans to launch its first series of satellites in the first half of 2024 and then operate services for its first customers later in 2024. It is not yet clear where (Project Cooper) will deploy the Internet first and how much it will cost customers.
“Our goal with Project Cooper is not just to connect disadvantaged and disadvantaged communities, but to satisfy them with quality, reliability and value of service,” said Rajeev Padial, Vice President of Technology for Project Cooper, in a statement.
Meanwhile, the first two satellite models are scheduled to be launched in May next year.