What is Starlink?
✔️ It’s Elon Musk’s new satellite Internet service, launched by private aerospace company SpaceX
✔️ Broadband is provided from low-earth-orbit satellite “chains” or constellations
✔️ By having a lot of satellites closer to the Earth than usual, almost anywhere could access high-speed Internet
How Reliable Is the SpaceX Starlink Internet Connection?
The space race is still going on, but unlike the first one in the 1950s, this one’s goal is to connect every part of the planet to the internet, from rural to urban areas. Delivering quick, cost-effective internet connectivity to underserved areas of the United States and the rest of the world is the main goal of the SpaceX Starlink satellite internet project.
If reports from Starlink users are to be believed, these promises have thus far been kept. The average download speed, according to the most recent user tests, is 104 Mbps, and the typical latency is 39 milliseconds. In the current market, which has few service provider options and expensive internet costs, the majority view it as a lifesaver.
Let’s examine the facts surrounding the SpaceX Starlink internet connection as you prepare to switch to the cutting-edge service, including how it operates, its dependability, speeds, costs, and the registration procedures.
How SpaceX Starlink Internet Connection Works
The majority of people see Starlink as their savior. Yet why? Well, a large portion of the United States and the majority of developing countries lack internet connectivity or have to deal with subpar, slow internet service providers. In some places, there won’t be any cable, cell, or fiber optic service, and 5G won’t make much of a difference either.
Providers must set up numerous towers in order to bounce signals throughout the mountainous areas. Additionally, although the lower frequency version of 5G provides a greater distance supply, the connection speed is slower. This is where the internet connection service from Starlink is useful.
The technology sends the signal down to users via a network of satellites in a low orbit. There are currently more than 1,300 of these tiny satellites in operation, but thousands more must be launched for the system to be fully functional. Notably, 60 satellites are delivered with each Falcon 9 launch.
These satellites are not geostationary or geosynchronous, in contrast to DirecTV birds or Dish. As a result, the dish ought to rotate automatically to realign with a new satellite. Starlink is unique in that latency or signal delay is significantly reduced by the lower orbit satellites, which hover about 342 miles above the surface. It is superior to DirecTV satellites that are more than 22,000 miles above the earth thanks to this.
How Fast Is SpaceX Starlink Internet?
According to the latest speed tests for the internet service’s users, download speeds click an average of 104 Mbps, 16 Mbps for upload speeds, and the average latency is 109 milliseconds.
Users report a speed range of between 60 – 150 Mbps, an excellent starting point for the service. It’s fantastic news that users experience the actual Starlink internet speeds as promised by the company.
The latency and speed ranges are light years ahead of most HughesNet internet plans which typically hit 25 Mbps and cap out at 500 – 600 ms of latency. Furthermore, the download speeds are higher than most Viasat internet plans with a maximum of 100 Mbps.
The business keeps deploying satellites and ground stations while addressing user concerns and difficulties. Starlink internet users should anticipate lower latency and faster download speeds as the process develops.
How Low Does The Latency Get?
Latency refers to the time required for your internet signal to move from your device to your internet service provider (ISP), to the site server, then back to your computer. The latest Starlink speed tests reveal an average latency of 39 ms, which is quite close to the 20 – 40 ms latency range Elon Musk promised in the SATELLITE 2020 keynote speech.
For traditional internet services, your signal must travel over 22,000 miles to the satellite, return to the site server, then go back to the satellite before coming back to you. This definitely takes more time, and that’s why the latency ranges between 500 – 600 milliseconds. With Starlink internet, the satellites are just 342 miles above the ground. This means a shorter distance for the signal to move.
And you know what this leads to reduced latency.
How To Sign Up For Starlink Internet Service
Thanks to its capabilities and a seamless internet connection, the demand for Starlink internet connection grows by the day. Currently, more than 10,000 global users have installed the system and are already getting the most out of it.
So how do you sign up for the service?
Here are the simple steps:
- Visit the company’s website.
2. Key in your email and enter your address to get your service area. If it’s still not available, you’ll be notified when the service will arrive.
3. View the estimates for getting the service in your location.
4. Pay the $99 deposit (an upfront amount that will be deducted from the monthly charges), the hardware cost of $499, and shipping.
The website states that there are a limited number of spots available and that preorders are filled in a first-come, first-served manner. Notably, the $99 deposit payment gives you a priority spot in the line where you are, and the payment amount is applied to the final purchase.
The terms and conditions for preorders state that the company is unable to guarantee whether or when the service will be made available and that service delivery is dependent on a number of factors, including broad regulatory approval.
How does Starlink compare to fixed-line internet providers such as PLDT, Globe, and Converge?
Because it depends on the technology you’re looking at, this is a complicated question. For the vast majority of Filipinos who use fixed-line internet service, Starlink has a few benefits but also some significant drawbacks.
The obvious benefit is that for some fixed-line customers, particularly those on lower-quality connections, that 150Mb/s rate may be faster than their ISP can provide on their current connection if we take Starlink at its word regarding speed claims.
That, however, is significantly more expensive than what the majority of internet plans are currently offered. Although latency is always a variable, fixed line connections almost always have lower and therefore better latency numbers, which is important for services like video conferencing or, more obviously, video gaming.
A lot of city dwellers, especially those in apartment buildings or densely populated urban areas, may be excluded from the service because it requires some sort of clear air space for reception equipment.
For the smaller percentage of Filipinos who use fixed wireless, Starlink is a more obvious competitor in this market. Customers of Fixed Wireless can currently access plans with a maximum speed of 75/10Mbps (down/up), so Starlink theoretically has a competitive advantage.
Because the Starlink speeds simply outpace those of standard broadband or fiber optic plans in terms of speed, there are some significant potential benefits for fixed-line customers here if you use the Internet more frequently (or would like to). Currently, Starlink plans do not have data caps, whereas most services do so in order to guarantee that all users have access to the same level of service.
Although Starlink claims to operate on a “first come, first served” basis, this could mean that city dweller looking to connect will receive the same priority as those for whom satellite services are the only other broadband option.
Local internet provider services are also significantly less expensive than Starlink, and there is no hardware fee of USD $709 to take into account.
How much will Starlink cost in the Philippines?
Starlink’s indicative pricing at launch is for a single USD$139 a-month plan with no stated data caps.
However, that’s not all you’ll pay as the receiver equipment also carries a USD$709 fee plus USD$100 for shipping. It’s worth noting that Starlink is taking pre-orders now availability window, but you do have to pay the hardware and shipping fee upfront if you are selected as a Starlink customer.
The Bottom Line…
Based on reviews by users worldwide, SpaceX Starlink offers the most reliable internet service, guaranteeing high download and upload speeds and significantly lower latency. Shifting from traditional products could be an excellent move to improve operational efficiency and productivity in your business.
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