Photo by Yassine Khalfalli on Unsplash
Starlink Reaches 4 Million Users and Partners With Air France
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Starlink has now over 4 million users across more than 100 countries
- The company gained over 1 million users since the end of May
- Air France will provide free wifi service provided by Starlink in all aircraft by summer 2025
Starlink, the satellite internet company owned by SpaceX, announced a few hours ago that it reached 4 million users across the globe. The company also announced a new partnership with Air France to provide free wi-fi service for all travelers on board.
“Starlink is connecting more than 4M people with high-speed internet across 100+ countries, territories, and many other markets,” wrote the company on X. “Thank you to all of our customers around the world!”
Starlink is connecting more than 4M people with high-speed internet across 100+ countries, territories and many other markets. Thank you to all of our customers around the world! 🛰️🌎❤️ → https://t.co/zR6w4t1qM9 pic.twitter.com/sk7wucihxH — Starlink (@Starlink) September 26, 2024
According to TechCrunch , Gwynne Shotwell, the company’s president, previously mentioned it on Tuesday in Texas at the House Appropriations Committee meeting. “This week, by the way, we will pass 4 million customers for Starlink, which is quite exciting,” said Shotwell.
The new milestone represents significant growth, considering that the company gained 1 million users in just a few weeks, since the end of May, when it had 3 million users.
Part of its success is the new alliances, and Air France announced yesterday a new partnership with Starlink for high-speed internet connection for free in all aircraft. The airline explained that it will gradually install the new technology by next summer 2025.
To access the Wi-fi service provided by Starlink, passengers must log in to their Flying Blue—the airline’s loyalty program—accounts.
“During the flight, customers will be able to easily stay in touch with friends and family, follow all the world’s news live, play video games online, and of course stream TV, films, and series,” explained the company in the press release. “The service will be accessible from smartphones, digital tablets, and laptops, and each customer will be able to connect several devices simultaneously.”
Starlink launched in June its latest portable satellite system, the Starlink Mini , for travelers and backpackers.
Photo by Zac Gudakov on Unsplash
Alphabet to Invest $3.3 Billion to Build Two Data Centers in South Carolina
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Alphabet will invest $3.3 billion in multiple data centers in South Carolina
- With $2 billion Google’s parent company will build two new data centers in Dorchester County
- $1.3 billion will be used to expand the existing data center in Berkeley County
Google’s parent company Alphabet plans to invest $3.3 billion dollars to build two data centers in South Carolina and expand another existing data center in the state.
According to Reuters , the information was revealed by Sundar Pichai, the tech giant’s CEO. This decision comes during a growth period where tech companies are looking for more infrastructures to develop new AI technologies.
South Carolina governor’s office shared a statement this Thursday with more details about the campuses. The new data centers will be located in Dorchester County, and Alphabet will also expand its current data center in Berkeley County.
The two new data centers represent a $2 billion investment and could potentially create 200 operational jobs. Meanwhile, $1.3 billion will be used for the expansion.
Just a few months ago, Alphabet also announced a capital expenditure of $13 billion, which aligns with the company’s estimated quarterly spending.
Microsoft has also been investing in infrastructure for its new AI technologies. In April, the company shared its plans to invest $2.9 billion in cloud infrastructure in Japan, and just a few days ago, the company partnered with BlackRock to invest $30 billion in data centers and energy projects.
Nokia also announced a 2.3 billion dollar investment in optical networking solutions company Infinera to expand its infrastructure and develop AI technologies.
Alphabet keeps investing and expanding in AI efforts and overcoming challenges. Google’s AI model, Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM 2) is currently being investigated by the European Data Protection Commission (DPC).
