Starlink is a venture that you may not be familiar with. It aims to sell internet connections for almost everyone on the planet via a growing network of private satellites orbiting overhead.
If you think about billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, there are chances that you will think of Tesla, his space exploration venture SpaceX, or Saturday Night Live. Not to mention his history of stirring controversy via social media and smoking marijuana with Joe Rogan. Perhaps you know him simply as an eccentric parent or one of the most wealthy people on Earth.
Starlink is a venture that you may not be familiar with. It aims to sell internet connections for almost everyone on the planet via a growing network of private satellites orbiting overhead.
Starlink, after years of SpaceX development and nearly $885.5 Million in grant funds from Federal Communications Commission at 2020's end, picked up speed in 2021. After three years of successful launches, the project had already delivered more than 1,000 satellites into orbit in January. Starlink now has more than 2000 functional satellites orbiting overhead after a year and many successful launches.
Starlink's business is also growing rapidly. Musk's company revealed that Starlink had served more than 10,000 customers in February 2013. Musk claims that Starlink has now shipped over 100,000 satellite internet terminals in 14 countries, with preorders being expanded to more customers. This includes Ukraine, where Musk claims that additional satellite internet terminals have been ordered in response to the Russian invasion.
Starlink has now gone global. Although the scope of the service's capabilities are not yet known, the company seems to be moving in the right direction. Musk spoke at Mobile World Congress in June and said that Starlink would be accessible worldwide, except at the North Pole and South Poles, starting in August. However, regional availability would depend upon regulatory approval. Musk posted in September that Starlink would be ending its beta phase in October. This indicated that the service was expanding and ramping up. The budding broadband provider faces a backlog with potential customers who are still waiting to be enrolled and receive equipment.
Starlink doesn't come without its controversy. Starlink's low earth orbit satellites have been criticized by members of the scientific community for their impact on night sky visibility. Satellite internet competitors Viasat and HughesNet, as well as Amazon's Project Kuiper, have also taken note of Starlink's momentum. This has prompted regulatory jousting and attempts by Musk to slow down.
Okay, let's start at the beginning. What exactly is Starlink?
Starlink, technically a division of SpaceX, is the name of the growing network of orbital satellites. Starlink was established in 2015. The first satellite prototypes were launched into orbit in 2018.
SpaceX has successfully launched thousands of Starlink satellites in the constellation over the past years, with dozens of successful launches. The most recent launch took place on March. 3, and another 47 satellites were delivered to low-earth orbit. This brings the total number functional satellites in the constellation to over 2,000. However, some of these satellites are prototypes or nonoperational units and are not part of the network.
These satellites can connect me to the internet from my home?
Yes, Starlink, like Viasat and HughesNet, wants to sell high-speed internet access.
Starlink's website states that Starlink is "ideally suited to areas of the world where connectivity has often been a problem." Starlink is able to deliver high-speed broadband internet without the need for traditional ground infrastructure.
To make the connection, you will need to set up a small satellite dish in your home to receive the signal. Then pass the bandwidth to your router. There are many mounting options available for roofs, yards and exteriors. Starlink offers an iOS and Android app that uses augmented reality to help users choose the best position and location for their receivers.
Starlink's service can only be used in certain areas in the US, Canada, and internationally at the moment. However, the service boasts more than 100,000 satellite terminals that have been shipped to customers. The coverage map will continue growing as more satellites are added to the constellation. Starlink plans to eventually cover the entire globe with a high-speed Wi Fi signal.
What is the speed of Starlink's internet services?
Ookla, an internet speed-tracking website, found that Starlink had download speeds exceeding 100Mbps in 15 countries last year. The average speed in Q4 was higher than Q3.
Starlink's average download speed was about 105Mbps in the US and an average upload speed of 12Mbps in the US. This is five to six times faster than satellite rivals Viasat or HughesNet and just shy of what the overall average for fixed wireless internet, which includes satellites and other forms that deliver connectivity to peoples homes without any ground-laid infrastructure.
Starlink warns that users can expect data speeds to vary between 50 and 150 megabits per sec, latency to be 20 to 40 milliseconds, in most locations, over the next few months. However there may be brief periods without connectivity. Data speed, latency, and uptime will increase dramatically as we launch more satellites and install more ground stations, and improve our networking software.
Musk stated in February last year that he expects the service to increase its top speed to 300Mbps by 2021. These claims are hard to verify in 2022 because speeds will vary depending upon time and place.
How much does Starlink cost?
Starlink accepts orders on a first come, first served basis. You will need to request service, then wait for your turn through the backlog. Starlink stated that preorders may take up to six months to fulfill during its beta launch in 2021. The service costs $99 per month plus taxes and fees. There is also an initial $499 payment for the mountable satellite dish, router, and antenna that you will need to install at your home.
Musk believes that $99 per month for an internet connection is too high, especially if it isn't as fast as a fibre connection. However, Musk is betting that people who have lived without reliable internet access will find that the price is worth it.
Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX president, has stated that the initial cost of the receiver dish will drop to $499 in the future as SpaceX improves its dish design and lowers production costs. Although the new dish was approved by the FCC in November, it is smaller and more affordable to make, customers will still have to pay a $499 upfront fee to use it.
Shotwell stated that Starlink wants pricing to be as transparent and simple as possible and did not intend to add service tiers to the mix. This approach is changing with the introduction in 2022 of a premium tier that has a scan array twice as large as the standard plan, and download speeds that range from 150 to 500Mbps. The tier is $500 per month and includes a $2,500 initial payment for the equipment. Starlink is currently accepting orders for this tier and will launch the service in 2022.
Starlink is available where?
Starlink service currently covers only a few regions of the globe, despite promising coverage for all countries by fall. As more satellites join the constellation, the coverage map will expand.
According to Musk, the current list of countries served by the growing network low-earth orbit satellites is comprised of the US, Canada and the UK. Starlink's preorder agreement allows you to request service in other countries such as Chile, Poland, Spain, and Chile.
Starlink still has a long way to go. It will need at least 10,000 satellites to provide full service to the majority of the world. SpaceX has indicated that it would like to have as many as 42,000 satellites. It's currently only 20% complete, with coverage limited to regions between 45 and 53 degrees North latitude.
Musk is still bullish on the Starlink timeline. Musk stated that Starlink will be available worldwide except for the North and South Poles in an interview at 2021’s Mobile World Congress. Shotwell had expressed similar sentiments in June and stated that Starlink would be available worldwide sometime in the fall.
She stated that 1,800 satellites have been successfully launched. Once all of them are in orbit, we will have continuous global coverage.
A Twitter user asked Musk in September when Starlink's beta phase would end. Musk replied, "Next month."
The FCC recently added Starlink as a broadband provider to its database. According to Starlink's beta launch in December 2020, 0.08% of Americans had access to the service. 100% of customers had access at that time to upload speeds up to 10Mbps and maximum download speeds up to 100Mbps. We'll be updating this post with future FCC releases to see how the service grew in busy 2021.
Satellites? Why is fiber not faster?
Fiber internet, which is internet delivered via ground-laid fiber optic cable, has upload and download speeds much faster than satellite internet. However, companies such as Google will tell users that it takes a lot of time to deploy the infrastructure to bring fiber to homes. It's not easy to launch satellites into space. However, Starlink services have every reason to reach the majority of underserved communities much faster than fiber. Recent FCC filings suggest that Starlink could eventually double as a dedicated telephone service.
Remember that we are talking about Elon Musk. SpaceX is the only company with a landable, modular rocket that can deliver payload after payload to orbit. This is a huge advantage in the commercial space race. Musk also stated in 2018 that Starlink would help SpaceX generate the revenue it needs to finance its long-held ambition of establishing a Mars base.
SpaceX may also attempt to establish a satellite constellation in the Red Planet if that day comes. Starlink customers could be doubled as guinea-pigs for future Martian wireless networks.
Shotwell stated that "if you send a million people on Mars, you better provide some means for them to communicate" in 2016 when he spoke about Starlink's long-term vision. I don't believe the people who travel to Mars will be content with old-fashioned radios. They will want their Androids and iPhones on Mars.
CNET's Jesse Orral pointed out in a Starlink video that you can even see hints of Musks plans for Mars in Starlink's terms of service. It reads:
"For services on Mars or in transit to Mars via Starship, other colonization spacecraft, these parties recognize Mars as an independent planet. No Earth-based government has any authority or sovereignty over Martian activity."
Starlink's satellite internet speeds are currently at 150Mbps. This is due to the distance that each transmission must travel to reach your home from the stratosphere. This factor also increases latency. If you are talking to someone via satellite, you will often experience awkward lulls.
Starlink claims that it will exceed all expectations regarding satellite connections and place satellites in orbit at lower altitudes than ever before, 60 times closer than traditional satellites. Low-earth orbit means less distance for Starlink signals to travel and therefore less latency. Once we have the opportunity to test the Starlink network, we will let you know how these claims hold up.
Starlink is reliable?
CNBC and Fast Company have reported that Starlink's initial customers are happy with the service. However, the company warns about "brief periods without connectivity at all" during beta.
DownDetector.com lists four outages to Starlink in 2021. One each in January, February and April. The most recent outage occurred on May 6. DownDetector lists HughesNet as having no major outages in 2021, while ViaSat has one.
Starlink users from Arizona to Alberta, Canada, noted the May outage via Reddit. For most, service resumed within a few hours.
What about bad weather or other obstacles?
This is definitely one of the drawbacks to satellite internet. Starlink's FAQ states that the receiver can melt snow that has landed on it but cannot do anything about snow accumulation or other obstructions surrounding it.
The FAQ states that Starlink should be installed in a place that prevents snow accumulation and other obstructions from blocking your field of vision. Heavy rain and wind can affect your satellite internet connection. This could lead to slow speeds or rare outages.
Are there any other problems with Starlink's satellites?
There is a lot of concern over the proliferation of private satellites in space. Astronomical circles are also divided on the effects of low-orbiting satellites on the night sky.
The International Astronomical Union issued an alarming statement in 2019 shortly after Starlink's first broadband satellites were deployed. It warned of unanticipated consequences for stargazing as well as for protecting nocturnal wildlife.
The statement states that "we don't yet know the impact of thousands upon thousands of visible satellites scattered across night sky, and despite their good intentions these satellite constellations could threaten both",
Starlink began testing new designs to decrease the brightness and visibility on its satellites. The company also tested a "DarkSat", a satellite with a non-reflective coating at the beginning of 2020. In June 2020, Starlink launched the "VisorSat", a satellite with a sunshade visor. Starlink launched a second batch of satellites in August. This time, they all had visors.
Shotwell stated that "we want to ensure we do the right things to make sure children can see through their telescope." It's great for them to be able to see the Starlink. They should look at Saturn and the moon and not be distracted.
Starlink's website states that the Starlink teams worked closely with leading astronomers worldwide to understand the details of their observations, and to make engineering changes to lower satellite brightness.
As time progresses, Starlinks service will get better. Only time will tell if this will be the standard for how we connect to the internet in the future.
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