2023-11-16 07:48:56
The new race for the stars is on. After Starlink – the service developed by billionaire Elon Musk’s company Space The objective: to find new customers, those who live in remote areas and who do not have access to fiber.
To compete with the American giant, until now the only one able to market a satellite offer in France, Orange is launching with the French telecommunications operator Nordnet, a satellite Internet specialist, an offer at 49.99 euros per month ( the first month is free). “After subscribing, customers will receive a satellite kit to install independently or by calling on Nordnet and its network of partners specializing in installation,” specifies Orange. The satellite kit is available for purchase for 299 euros or to rent for 8 euros per month. The option bag you kit is billed at 299 euros with a one-year warranty. »
Customers will thus be able to benefit from very high speed as well as unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in mainland France in particular. Orange’s offer uses a satellite designed by Thalès and launched in September 2022 by Ariane 5. It is the largest European satellite ever designed at 9 m high and 6.5 tonnes.
Around 10,000 customers in France
“This new offering completes our technological range, in addition to fiber, ADSL, 4G and 5G,” said a senior Orange manager. In short: there is no question of disengaging from the deployment of fiber in France. But to propose a new string to Orange’s bow. Because for certain very remote areas, in high mountains or in the countryside, and for those who remain not eligible for fiber or who receive a very low ADSL speed, satellite Internet can prove to be an effective alternative. In France, this new solution – admittedly less efficient than fiber – has already attracted, in less than two years, around 10,000 customers since the deployment of Starlink minisatellite constellations in low Earth orbit.
To avoid leaving the market to Starlink alone, competitors are positioning themselves quickly. After Orange, Amazon should launch in the coming months – with its already announced Kuiper minisatellite project – even if no date has yet been communicated.
For the moment, the commercial offers of the two players present in France are almost equivalent. Starlink indeed offers an offer at 40 euros per month with, in addition, the rental of the equipment at 10 euros per month or a purchase at 450 euros (with one-time activation fee of 50 euros). Last summer, to attract new customers and establish itself on the market, the American giant deployed a very aggressive temporary subscription at 199 euros (instead of 450 euros).
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