Starlink

Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by space exploration company, SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk. Starlink internet works by beaming data signals between thousands of low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites overhead and gateway stations on the ground below. Already, Starlink is the third-largest satellite internet provider in the U.S.

If you live anywhere in the U.S., you’re most likely covered by Starlink satellite service. In fact, Starlink provides service to over 1 million active customers across 54 countries. The Starlink coverage map above shows the ever-expanding footprint of Starlink’s internet coverage. Currently, 4,023 low-earth-orbit (LEO) Starlink satellites orbit the Earth, providing internet service to many areas.

Here are some quick stats regarding Starlink’s availability:

• Over 1 million current subscribers
• Approximately 4,023 LEO satellites in orbit
• 81 total licensed launches of Starlink satellites by SpaceX
• 59 gateway stations across the U.S.
• 54 countries served worldwide

Starlink Internet Services

Starlink internet deals and pricing are straightforward and free of hidden fees, offering five plan types: Residential, Roam, Business, Maritime, and Aviation. Starting at just $90 per month for residential customers, Starlink is accessible for both rural and urban subscribers looking for an alternative to traditional wired internet.

If you’ve visited the Starlink website recently, you may have seen a message like, “Starlink expects to expand service in your area in 2023. You will receive a notification once your Starlink is ready to ship.” SpaceX is working to fulfill preorders. Delays in service activation are primarily due to two factors: capacity and silicon.

Even though 4,023 Starlink satellites roam the sky in a scheduled pattern, certain sectors of the Earth are less visited than others, limiting the capacity Starlink has to take on new subscribers. Since their satellite launch operations began in 2019, Starlink has successfully completed 81 launches, and the company is planning to continue launching at an ambitious pace to increase capacity and fulfill future orders.

Silicon supply has become a hot issue for Starlink and every other tech company attempting to supply customers with high-tech gadgetry. A perfect storm of circumstances gathered in 2020, causing a ripple effect of silicon chip shortages worldwide and serious delays in production for SpaceX’s Starlink customer kits.

Starlink Internet Speeds

Current speeds offered by a Starlink satellite connection top out at download speeds up to 220 Mbps. Elon Musk’s SpaceX intends to increase the maximum speed to 10 Gbps in the future. These speeds will require specialized laser technology that SpaceX is still in the process of developing and expanding.

This technology would outfit future LEO satellites with the capability to communicate directly with each other while in orbit via laser. Since transmissions of these sorts travel exponentially faster in the vacuum of space than on the ground, 10 Gbps download speeds may become a distinct reality. Until then, Starlink LEO satellites do all of their communication with gateway base stations located on Earth to send data transmissions where they need to go.