Starlink’s plan to provide high-speed internet using a constellation consisting of thousands of satellites, continues its foray into Britain.

The subsidiary of SpaceX is in the final stages of securing a license to build a ground station on the Isle of Man. This follows news that it has already acquired a telecoms licence and the right to use certain spectrum bands and install equipment on the island.

As well as informing Starlink’s long-term plans, in the interim, the space internet service will provide satellite broadband coverage to rural parts of northern Britain.

In addition to bases in Buckinghamshire and Cornwall, it is believed the station would allow Starlink to now provide full coverage across Britain.

The service, which is designed to fill in the gaps where fibre broadband and 5G cannot reach, launched a test service in the UK earlier this year, charging customers £89 a month and the £439 cost of a satellite dish, for speeds of up to 150 megabits a second.

The company has said that it hopes to provide global coverage by the end of the month.

The idea of leveraging high-speed connections to unlock the potential of Scotland’s rural areas is one we discussed at DIGIT recently through Chief Executive of The Scotland 5G Centre, Paul Coffey’s piece.

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How do Starlink’s satellites actually work?

Satellite internet can be notoriously laggy. So, to move more data with minimal delays, Starlink satellites occupy much lower orbits than traditional satellites – orbiting some 340 miles above the Earth’s surface.

That same low orbital position is also one of the main reasons why Starlink satellites shine so bright in our night sky: They’re close to us.

Ultimately, Starlink is expected to deliver speeds of up to about one gigabit per second with no caps.

Transmitting from the Isle of Man to its satellite network would allow Starlink to take advantage of the island’s less crowded airwaves, which are awarded separately from the UK’s.

The company was the only one to express an interest in multiple spectrum bands, the island’s regulator said.

Ofcom said in a recent consultation that it was in the final stage of issuing a licence for a satellite station on the island, believed to refer to Starlink.

The regulator said last week it was planning to raise the bar for new satellite broadband licence applications, requiring providers to demonstrate that they will not interfere with rival systems, and would suspend new applications in the process.