Canada Resident Finds A SpaceX Starlink Ground Station Under Construction [photos]

All Images Source: andrew867 via Reddit

SpaceX started to offer Starlink Internet Beta service in Canada soon after obtaining final approval to operate in November. With approximately 960 satellites in low Earth orbit, SpaceX is providing broadband connection to select customers in Canada and Northern United States. As more satellites are deployed SpaceX will increase its capacity to serve more customers across North America and the rest of the populated world. SpaceX’s ultimate goal with the Starlink network is to connect those living in rural areas to reliable internet.

.@SpaceX is joining the effort to help get Canadians connected to high-speed Internet!

Regulatory approval for the @SpaceXStarlink low Earth orbit satellite constellation has been granted!

— ISED (@ISED_CA) November 6, 2020

To connect to the space-based internet customers purchase a Starlink Kit that includes a phased-array dish antenna and Wi-Fi router device, alongside mounting equipment that is easy to install. Additionally, SpaceX is in the process of setting-up ground stations that will be part of the Starlink network. A resident of Canada, who goes by the username ‘Andrew867’ via Reddit, found a SpaceX Starlink ground station (also known as Earth Station) in St. John's, a city in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada. They shared a collection of photographs of the ground station under construction near Eastlink, a Canadian telecommunications company. “So I was out for a drive today and decided to check out what Eastlink was building on the side of their main NL data centre,” Andrew867 wrote in the Reddit post, “I originally thought they were expanding but on today’s visit I saw a small dome peeking out over the fence,” he said. Upon closer inspection they noticed the white domes had labels indicating it’s a SpaceX Earth Station for the Starlink satellite network. Andrew867 shared photos of the station, shown below. A label on the domes reads: "Property of SpaceX. Prototype - Not for sale or lease This unit is intended for demonstrations use only. This prototype unit may not comply with the European Union directives. It is for
technical evaluation only. This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained. Therefore, ownership must remain with SpaceX."

All Images Source: andrew867 via Reddit

The ground station discovery comes after FSET Information Technology, a Canadian company that provides a wide range of tech-related services in Kenora, Ontario, reached out to SpaceX to connect Pikangikum First Nation – an indigenous community of approximately 2,000 people located in a rural area in the Sioux Lookout District of northwestern Ontario. FSET Information technology became SpaceX’s first customer in Canada. The company collaborated with the government to connect the First Nation community in need of reliable communications service. 

Like to thank all of the dedicated people at @SpaceX who have made #Starlink possible. A special thank you to the #Pikangikum First Nation for sharing your journey with all of us and for the trust and patience you have shown. Chi Miigwetch.https://t.co/6qdQYYOcG1

— FSET Information Technology (@FSETera) December 10, 2020

FSET Information Technology provides SpaceX Starlink Internet to Pikangikum First Nation, a remote community in Canada 🇨🇦 https://t.co/ciAxP44yGD

— Tesmanian.com (@Tesmanian_com) December 11, 2020