Latest news with #Mbps
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
After NISAR mission, India to launch 6500-kg US communication sat: Isro chief
NEW DELHI: After launching the world's costliest earth observation mission NISAR in collaboration with the US on July 30, India is set to launch a US communication satellite —Block-2 BlueBird — weighing 6,500 kg in a couple of months, chairman V Narayanan disclosed on Sunday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Block 2 BlueBird satellite features large communication arrays, up to 2,400 sq ft, and has been designed to achieve data transmission speeds of up to 12 Mbps, enabling voice, data and video communication capabilities for end users. The satellite will provide direct-to-smartphone broadband connectivity, eliminating the need for specialised terminals. The next-generation American satellite is expected to reach India in Sept and will be launched aboard LVM-3-M5, Isro's heaviest rocket, from the Sriharikota spaceport. BlueBird satellite uses AST & Science's patented technologies for connecting to cellphones in a space environment for their SpaceMobile constellation. The satellite has a communications array measuring 64.38 sq m to establish direct connectivity with cellphones via 3GPP-standard frequencies, in partnership with leading cellular service providers around the world. After NISAR, the Block-2 BlueBird launch will further boost Indo-US space collaboration. Narayanan, who was presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Maharashtra governor C.P. Radhakrishnan during the convocation ceremony at SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Kattankulathur near Chennai, talked about the rapid strides India's made in the field of space technology. He said Isro was set up in 1963, with a tiny rocket being donated by the US that year to mark the beginning of the Indian space programme. In 1975, with satellite data given by the US, Isro demonstrated 'mass communication' through 2,400 TV sets at 2,400 villages across six Indian states. 'From that (humble beginnings), the 30th of July was a historic day for the Indian space programme. We have launched the NISAR satellite, the costliest one ever built in the world. Today, we are working shoulder to shoulder with advanced countries,' Narayanan said.
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Starlink approved in India: Monthly cost, entry kit price, and where it will work first—full details inside
India has granted Elon Musk's Starlink official approval to begin satellite-based internet services. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued a Unified Licence to the company, allowing it to operate under the current spectrum regulations. The announcement comes as India marks 30 years since its first cellular call was made on July 31, 1995. Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed the approval and said that both the spectrum allocation framework and gateway setup are ready to support a smooth rollout of Starlink's services in the country. Delayed approval due to regulatory hurdles Starlink's application was initially submitted in 2021 but faced delays due to regulatory checks and discussions over satellite spectrum distribution. While the licence has now been granted, Starlink cannot start commercial services until the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) finalises the spectrum allocation framework. A consultation paper by TRAI on satellite spectrum is currently under review, and Starlink must wait for its outcome before it can proceed. Union Communications Minister @JM_Scindia addresses Mobile Conclave on the occasion of 30 years of mobile telephony in New Scindia highlights that India's digital journey in the last 11 years has been also says #ElonMusk-led Starlink has received a… Pricing and plans: One-time and monthly charges According to reports, SpaceX plans to charge a one-time hardware cost of around Rs 33,000, which will cover the Starlink kit including the satellite dish, router, and mounting gear. Monthly subscriptions are expected to be priced at approximately Rs 3,000 for unlimited data. There are indications of a promotional plan at around Rs 850/month, but this is yet to be officially confirmed. Internet speeds are likely to range between 25 Mbps and 220 Mbps, catering to users in areas with poor or no internet access. To begin with, Starlink will be available to a maximum of 2 million users across India, targeting primarily rural and remote regions. India's satellite Internet race heats up Starlink's entry puts it in competition with other global and domestic players. Eutelsat OneWeb, backed by Bharti Group, and Jio's joint venture with SES from Luxembourg, have also received regulatory approvals. However, like Starlink, they are waiting for spectrum allocation before starting commercial operations. "We will do our best to serve the people of India with Starlink."一 Elon Musk As per the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), satellite-based internet is likely to play a major role in expanding coverage in areas where fibre-based infrastructure is not practical. The IAMAI-Kantar ICUBE Report 2023 highlights that over 65% of India's rural population still lacks reliable internet access, underlining the demand for satellite-driven solutions. India's digital push and Starlink's role Minister Scindia used the announcement to highlight India's digital transformation over the past decade. He credited the progress made in digital infrastructure to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the last 11 years have been 'nothing short of extraordinary.' With the Unified Licence in place, Starlink now waits for the final nod on spectrum. Once approved, its low-earth orbit satellites will begin delivering internet to underserved locations, marking a significant step in India's push toward inclusive digital access. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
CNET
23-07-2025
- Business
- CNET
Don't Buy Internet Before Checking the Cost Per Mbps. Here's How
It's no secret that shopping for internet is frustrating and confusing. Typically, we're just hunting for a good monthly price. But depending on what providers are available in your area and what kind of internet connection type you're opting for (cable, fiber or wireless with 5G), that price tag will fluctuate. It's little wonder that the internet as an industry consistently ranks lower than airlines and the post office. ISPs don't make it easy to understand what your monthly price will be, and the process of purchasing an internet plan often requires calling customer service -- where it's very likely you'll get talked into buying a more expensive plan for speeds you just won't use. To make it a little easier to compare plans and determine which work better for you, you should use the cost per Mbps or the speed of each internet plan as it compares to the price. The cost per Mbps is a simple way to determine how cost-efficient an internet plan is, and it's a measurement we often use when reviewing internet providers or looking for the best internet deals -- especially after an ISP's promo period ends. Knowing the cost per Mbps of a plan can help you distinguish between a decent internet deal or a service that is just plain cheap. But what, exactly, is the cost per Mbps, and how do you find it? And what does Mbps even mean? Let's dive right in. What is Mbps? Mbps, or megabits per second, is a measure of how fast the data transmitted through your internet connection is sent or received per second -- the miles per hour that data travels along the information superhighway, if you will. A faster connection means you can have more devices on your network using bandwidth without slowing down. While other factors, including latency and consistency, also play a role in how reliable that connection is. Generally, faster internet speeds mean it will take less time to complete tasks while on Wi-Fi. It's pretty standard for internet service providers to advertise a plan's max speeds using Mbps, though some may also display Gbps, or gigabits (1 gigabit = 1,000 megabits) per second. Many ISPs offer a variety of speeds. AT&T Fiber, for example, offers 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 1Gbps, 2Gbps and 5Gbps plans. Locating local internet providers Available speeds will vary by provider, but the FCC ruled that speeds must be 100Mbps down and 20Mbps up or higher to be considered broadband. If you have questions about how much speed your household needs, be sure to check out our household guide on internet usage. What does 'cost per Mbps' mean? The cost per Mbps is the ratio between an internet plan's monthly rate and its advertised speeds. Specifically, it estimates what you're paying for each megabit per second, not including taxes and fees. You may have come across per-unit pricing while at the grocery store (and if you haven't, it's a good idea to look for it, given our national discourse on shrinkflation). The purpose of per-unit pricing is to quickly compare the value of multiple products by showing the cost per unit, like how much you're paying for one ounce of soup in a small can versus a larger can of the same soup, for example. Cost per Mbps is essentially the same thing. It's per-unit pricing for your internet to help you quickly compare value. Unlike at the grocery store, however, the cost per Mbps isn't typically on display, so you will have to calculate it yourself. Don't worry, it's not hard. How to calculate cost per Mbps To find the cost per Mbps, divide the plan's advertised monthly rate (excluding any anticipated taxes and fees other than for equipment) by its max speed. Take the Verizon Fios 300Mbps plan. Service starts at $50 a month for download speeds up to 300Mbps. $50 divided by 300 equals a cost of around 17 cents per Mbps. That's not bad, but Verizon's slightly faster Fios plan offers up to 500Mbps starting at $75 monthly. $75 divided by 500 gives us a cost per Mbps of 15 cents. So, while the 300Mbps plan is cheaper, the 500Mbps speed tier offers better overall value. Again, you'll want to omit potential taxes and fees from the equation, but it may be worthwhile to include the cost of equipment rental in the price. For example, Spectrum Internet offers speeds up to 500Mbps starting at $50 a month (10 cents per Mbps), but renting a router (it's optional) will add $10 to your bill for an all-in cost of $60 a month, or 12 cents per Mbps. Other providers, such as Cox and Xfinity , may charge up to $15 for equipment rental, which can make a big difference in determining the overall value, especially when compared with a provider with no equipment fees. Including the cost of internet equipment fees can give you an idea of how much money you could save if you bought your own equipment up-front instead of renting; although it may seem pricey up-front, the cost of a router will often pay itself back after the first year of use. Additionally, it's a good idea to be aware of introductory versus standard rates, if applicable. Sure, Xfinity's Connect More plan may start at a low $40 a month for speeds up to 400Mbps (cost per Mbps of 10 cents), but after the first year, the monthly rate jumps to $83, bringing the cost per Mbps to 21 cents. What is a good cost per Mbps? There's no right answer, but I would describe a cost per Mbps between 10 and 25 cents as "good" and anything lower as "great." Going higher than a quarter doesn't necessarily indicate a bad internet deal, but I would recommend plans with a bit more value, if available. Similar to how the larger can of soup is likely to have a better price per unit than the smaller can, internet plans with more speed are typically the ones with the lowest cost per Mbps. Going back to our Verizon Fios example, the 500Mbps plan is a better value compared to the 300Mbps, but gig service, with speeds up to 940Mbps starting at $90 a month, tops them both with a cost per Mbps of less than a dime. It's a similar story with almost every top internet provider and its selection of plans: the value goes up -- and cost per Mbps goes down -- with each upgrade to a faster speed. While the value is tempting, don't let it convince you to sign up for a plan with more speed than you need. Even if it's a better deal, paying $80 for gig service (up to 1,000Mbps, cost per Mbps of 8 cents) from AT&T Fiber when you can get by on 500Mbps (starting at $65 per month, cost per Mbps of 13 cents) will have you paying more for internet than you need to. It's like purchasing a 20-ounce can of soup when you're only hungry for 12 ounces. The bigger can is a better value, sure, but a lot of soup will go to waste, and you'll pay more for it than the 12-ounce can. It's most useful when comparing plans between providers Evaluating the cost per Mbps of a single provider's plans will show the value of upgrading to a faster speed tier, but it's most practical when used to determine the value among providers with similar speed tiers. Say you're comparing the cheapest plans from Cox and AT&T Fiber. Cox starts at $50 monthly for speeds up to 250Mbps in select areas, whereas AT&T Fiber is $55 for 300Mbps. Cox is $5 cheaper but has a cost per Mbps of 20 cents, while AT&T Fiber's cost per Mbps is 18 cents. AT&T Fiber is the better deal, though slightly more expensive. Here's a look at the average cost per Mbps of some of the top cable and fiber internet providers. Since these are averages, individual plans from each provider will have a higher or lower starting price, faster or slower speeds and thus a higher or lower cost per Mbps. Also, keep in mind that the average starting price reflects introductory pricing and may increase significantly after the first year or two, depending on the provider. For example, Xfinity has one of the lowest average costs per Mbps of any provider here, but it often doubles those monthly rates after a year of service (unless you commit to a price lock). Average cost per Mbps by provider Source: CNET analysis of provider data. Final thoughts on comparing home internet plans Cost per Mbps is worth considering when shopping for home internet, but it shouldn't be the sole deciding factor when choosing a provider or plan. In fact, if you go by cost per Mbps alone, you're probably going to end up with the fastest and most expensive plan, and it'll likely be a fiber internet plan, since fiber offers lightning-fast speeds up to 50,000Mbps. To simplify the process, start by comparing the connection types, speeds and pricing available at your address. Next, look at the service conditions -- equipment fees, data caps and contracts -- which usually give one provider the advantage over another. You should also have a good idea of how much internet speed you need and what kind of budget you'd like to stick to for internet (for context, the average cost of internet is around $78 per month). Finally, when it's time to choose a specific plan, assess the cost per Mbps of the top contenders to determine which plans offer the speed you need for the best value. For more tips on finding the right internet provider and plan for your home and making the most of your services, visit the CNET Home Internet hub page.
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Cheapest UK broadband providers revealed and you could save £108 a year
We reveal how else you can slash telecoms costs below BILL HELP Cheapest UK broadband providers revealed and you could save £108 a year Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE cheapest UK broadband providers have been revealed - and switching could save you £108 a year. New customer research from GoCompare found Sky is top when it comes to affordability. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 A new survey from GoCompare reveals what broadband firms offer the best prices Credit: Alamy The price comparison site said of the firms offering broadband deals with speeds between the 100 to 249 megabits per second (Mbps) range, Sky came out cheapest, according to households it surveyed. Among Sky customers receiving speeds in this range, a quarter reported paying less than £21 per month - the highest proportion of the providers included in the survey. Meanwhile, 2% said they were being charged between £11 and £15. Virgin Media and Vodafone were tied in second place for cheapest broadband deals, according to customers surveyed. GoCompare said just 13% of both providers' users paid £20 or less for deals in the same speed range. The vast majority were paying between £16 and £20 although 4% of Vodafone's users were charged less and 1% of Virgin Media's paying £10 or under. Around one in 10 (12%) BT customers said they were paying below the £21 mark. However, 4% said they pay just £10 per month or less. Meanwhile, only 11% of EE's users were found to be paying under £21 and 6% were in the lowest price bracket of £11 or less - the most of the providers listed. GoCompare said that the customer survey revealed providers generally charge between £21 and £30 per month for broadband speeds in the 100 to 249Mbps range. CHECK YOUR SPEED: Broadband That means a customer opting for a £21 a month deal over a £30 a month deal would save £108 per year. How firms compared on internet service and customer service GoCompare's survey also looked at how broadband firms fared in terms of service reliability. The price comparison website found Plusnet was the most reliable by customers it surveyed. It said 92% of Plusnet customers reported that their service had been reliable over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, 65% described it as "very reliable". Sky, BT and EE customers surveyed reported similar levels of service reliability. Of the BT customers surveyed, 94% reported having a reliable service but just 58% branded it "very reliable". EE and Sky received the same customer scores, with 92% of their users describing their broadband service as "reliable". But, only just over half of both firms' customers stated it was "very reliable". Three received some of the best scores for customer service. Just under half (49%) of its users stated that the provider offered 'good' customer service, with a total of 62% giving a positive response. EE was close behind, with over half (57%) of its users giving the provider's service a positive response overall, with roughly a quarter (26%) stating it was 'very good'. Plusnet came in a very close third in this category, with 54% giving a positive answer, and a quarter (25%) saying the service was 'very good'. Vodafone received marginally more positive responses than Plusnet, 55%, but only a fifth described it as 'very good'. Matt Sanders, broadband expert at said: 'Broadband users will always want a deal with the fastest speeds for the lowest price possible. "Our statistics suggest that Sky are providing a high proportion of users with below-average prices for decent speeds, highlighting them as a strong choice for cost-conscious customers. 'But price isn't the only factor to consider when deciding on the right broadband deal for you. "Reliability and good quality customer service are also important. "Plus, many broadband deals include extras like TV packages, so while one might be low-cost, another might be better value for money when all the additions are taken into account. 'For this reason, before committing to a package, it's always a good idea to compare providers to find out which offers the best deal for your needs. "Doing so regularly will make sure you're still getting the best offer possible." The Sun asked EE to comment.
Broadcast Pro
07-06-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
SESs 7th and 8th O3b mPOWER satellites set to begin connectivity services
With these satellites, SES is enhancing the O3b mPOWER network to serve customers across multiple market segments SES has announced that the latest pair of O3b mPOWER satellites launched in December 2024 is now ready to offer services across the globe. Featuring redesigned payload power modules, the seventh and eighth O3b mPOWER satellites are bolstering the capabilities of SESs second-generation medium earth orbit (MEO) system, supporting the delivery of high throughput and predictable low latency services at scale. To date, SES has launched eight out of 13 O3b mPOWER high-throughput and low-latency satellites. The next O3b mPOWER launch is scheduled for summer 2025. SES has also expanded its strategically located satellite ground stations, and now has 12 operational O3b mPOWER gateways located in South Africa, Peru, Brazil, Portugal, Australia, Greece, the US, Chile, the United Arab Emirates and Senegal. Five out of these are co-located and operated by Microsofts Azure data centres. Our O3b mPOWER services are in high demand and we were eagerly awaiting the additional satellites to strengthen our MEO network, said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. As we continue to deploy additional O3b mPOWER satellites, we are bringing substantially more capacity and improved network efficiency, resulting in a threefold increase in available capacity by 2027 to better serve our mobility, government, enterprise and cloud customers. SES started offering O3b mPOWER services worldwide since April 2024 and has been delivering high-performance network services to customer sites across Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas in multiple market segments. The systems exceptional flexibility means it can provide services ranging from tens of Mbps to multiple gigabits per second of capacity to any site.
