WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX is expanding its satellite internet unit's foray into in-flight WiFi services with the rollout on Wednesday of Starlink Aviation, offering customers a $150,000 airplane antenna amid mounting competition for airborne connectivity.
Starlink, SpaceX's growing network of thousands of internet satellites, will charge customers seeking broadband internet on private jets between $12,500 to $25,000 a month for the service, on top of a one-time $150,000 hardware cost, the company said on its website.
Starlink Aviation will begin delivering terminals in mid-2023, it said on its website, with reservations requiring a $5,000 payment.
OneWeb on Tuesday announced an agreement with in-flight broadband giant Panasonic Avionics, which offers service to some 70 airlines, to market and sell OneWeb's broadband service to airlines by mid-2023.
SpaceX plans to offer Starlink internet connectivity to Hawaiian Airlines planes next year.