What Is Starlink Internet?

Starlink is a satellite internet network that relies on thousands of satellites in close proximity to the Earth’s surface. This constellation of low-Earth-orbiting satellites transmits signals from satellite to satellite as well as ground stations to provide high-speed broadband internet services.

Developed by Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX, the telecommunication project eventually aims to shoot 42,000 small satellites into space, forming a globe-encircling ring just 340 miles overhead. That number today stands at 6,376 satellites, according to independent research database BroadbandNow. (For context, there have been a total of 21,320 satellites launched into space since space exploration began, of which 14,050 are still in orbit.)

Since its launch in 2019, the telecommunications project has skyrocketed and is now experiencing a growing waitlist as the network struggles to keep up with soaring demand. Starlink now services more than 5 million users, SpaceX announced.

How Does Starlink Work?

As with any satellite telecommunications service, Starlink involves beaming internet data via radio signals through the vacuum of space. Ground stations then broadcast those signals to orbiting satellites, which relay the data back to Earth-side users.

But what differentiates Starlink is the sheer volume and short, geospatial proximity of its satellites. 

Volume + Proximity = Speed

Most satellite internet services bounce signals from a single, geostationary satellite. They’re about the size of a bus and orbit at 22,000 miles from the Earth’s surface. Traditional satellites typically max out at between 100 and 150 megabits per second.

Comparatively, Starlink works across thousands of 22-foot-long satellites stationed 63 times lower in altitude. Their close proximity enables high-performance internet speeds, ranging from 20 to 250 megabits per second.

An additional factor to consider — latency — shows Starlink at 25 and 60 milliseconds compared to its competitors at 450 to 700 milliseconds, according to tech-focused publication CNET.

On-Demand Service

“Starlink is innovative in that the constellation of lower-Earth-orbit satellites can be moved to provide a high density of service on demand,” Vincent Peters, a former SpaceX employee and the current founder and CEO of artificial intelligence and Web3 company inheritance Art, told Built In.

For example, during the Washington state wildfires in 2020, emergency service crews stayed connected via Starlink satellites while dousing fast-moving fires. To do so, ground terminals were placed near first responder sites. Depending on the amount of bandwidth required per transmission, Starlink satellites mobilized toward the coverage area to increase the level of service and connectivity available, according to Peters.

“The majority of other services have fixed bandwidth for a specific location [whereas] Starlink can be made on demand at any given point,” Peters said. 

Satellite-to-Satellite Communication

Starlink satellites have been upgraded to communicate through a laser-based network.

At the 36th annual Space Symposium in 2021, SpaceX Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell announced that the next generation of satellites would be equipped with laser crosslinks to enable intra-constellation communication. This allows satellites to share data without having to transmit it all the way back to ground stations. With this feature, the need for terrestrial stations greatly decreases and internet accessibility becomes possible in areas where stations cannot be built.

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How Much Does Starlink Cost?

Starlink offers several plans: 

• The Residential plan comes with a one-time hardware fee of $349 and monthly service fee of $120.
• The Roam plan features the same hardware fee with a monthly service fee of $50. 
• The Roam Unlimited plan has the same hardware fee with a monthly service fee of $165. Roam and Roam Unlimited subscribers can also purchase Starlink Mini for $599.  
• The Land Mobility plan comes with a $2,500 one-time hardware fee and a service fee between $65 and $540 per month, depending on the type of plan selected.
• The Fixed Site plan also comes with a $2,500 hardware fee and monthly service fees between $65 and $540. 
• The Maritime plan has the same hardware fee as the Land Mobility and Fixed Site plans, along with a monthly service fee starting at $250. 
• The Aviation plan comes with a $2,000 monthly service fee for 20 gigabytes of data and a $10,000 monthly service fee for unlimited data. 

Where Is Starlink Available?

Currently, Starlink internet services are available in more than 100 countries — but keep in mind that the project itself is an ongoing development. Of the 42,000 satellite end goal, only about 17 percent of them have launched.

So, while the service itself is globally accessible, there are other factors impacting Starlink’s availability, including international regulations, sanctions and government approval.

This means that some subscribers may experience limited coverage or be subject to a waiting list. Additionally, some regions have received approval with a service date pending. No countries have been discounted from joining the network, although there’s a possibility SpaceX may cut off Ukraine’s access to Starlink over political matters. 

As for further expansion, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX’s proposal to launch the second generation of its constellation — a batch of 7,500 satellites — in December 2022. More recently, SpaceX launched an additional 27 Starlink satellites into space. SpaceX has also secured approval from the FCC to begin upgrading its first-generation satellites and is seeking approval to update its Gen2 system. These changes would support increased speeds and more reliable service for Starlink’s growing customer base.

How to Connect to Starlink 

Each standard Starlink kit comes with a rectangular dish, a mounting base, Wi-Fi router, power cable and 50-foot cable to connect the router to the dish. Users will also need to download the Starlink app, which will guide the user through the process. Installation requires a clear view of the sky. The space above and around the dish should be unobstructed by any objects at a 100-degree circumference. Once the terminal is fitted and plugged in, users can open their Wi-Fi settings and join the Starlink network.

Why Are People Using Starlink?

Starlink was especially designed to cut latency rates, or the time it takes for data to bounce from user to satellite and back, for those living in rural, remote locations without fixed-line connections. This includes the 42 million Americans living in areas lacking broadband access — standardized at a minimum of 25 megabits per second by the FCC — who are experiencing speeds as low as 0.38 megabits per second.

“Starlink is at its best in low- to medium-population density areas,” said Tyler Cooper, editor-in-chief at BroadbandNow. “Highly populated cities are not optimal for the technology in its current form, as the bandwidth between users in a local area is shared, meaning performance will suffer when hundreds of users are trying to connect at the same time.”

Traditional broadband is interconnected by copper wires and relies on physical infrastructure to provide connectivity to its customers. Highly mobile, Starlink’s fully above-ground network transmits from dish to satellite and comes in both roaming and stationary varieties.

Despite the digital divide, it doesn’t exactly make the most business sense for fixed networks to build out their existing framework for so few customers, Peters said. So, while speeds for Starlink are a bit slower than fiber broadband, they’re a massive improvement compared to existing major mobile operators, he said, or the other alternative — going without.

“This technology is important because it provides equitable access to the internet,” Peters said. “Starlink covers these underserved customers with its network of lower-Earth orbit satellites that can provide internet service wherever a Starlink terminal is installed.”

Following its deployment to Antarctica and Africa, the telecommunications project now spans all seven continents. In another post, Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, celebrated his country’s achievement as the first African country with Starlink internet access.

“This is a new moment and we can be looking at unlocking many opportunities in rural Nigeria,” Ndubuisi Ekekwe, the lead faculty at the Tekedia Institute, a Nigerian business school, told Built In.

Mere months after Starlink’s approval by the Nigerian government, Ekekwe said that the Tekedia Institute launched a course titled “Satellite Internet In Nigeria: Business and Career Opportunities,” designed to prepare local professionals for what he calls “a new dawn of immersive connectivity.”

“We need to empower citizens with better jobs and economic opportunities to enjoy the promises [of internet access],” Ekekwe said.

Future of Starlink

While Starlink is primed to stay at the forefront of the satellite broadband industry, challenges to its dominance linger on the horizon. More competitors are entering the field, with China-backed SpaceSail making headway in Brazil and Kazakhstan. Amazon’s Project Kuiper is also in talks with the Brazilian government as another big tech brand enters the fold.

However, the biggest threats to Starlink may be geopolitical. To counter Musk’s company, China and Russia are investing in their own satellite networks. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has even drawn clear political lines in the race for reliable broadband satellite, urging European countries to choose Starlink over China’s offerings. At the same time, Musk himself has ignited political tensions in some cases, such as his comments implying that South African laws promoting racial equity have made it difficult for Starlink to enter the country. 

Starlink continues to expand its global reach and win over more customers, but it remains to be seen how the company will fare in the face of rapid industry changes inspired by the politicization of broadband internet.

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