Starlink

Starlink is a new 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 500,000 customers across 40 countries. The Starlink coverage map above shows the ever-expanding footprint of Starlink internet coverage. Currently, 3,268 low-earth-orbit (LEO) Starlink satellites orbit the Earth, providing internet service to many areas.

Here are some quick stats regarding Starlink’s availability:

• 500,000+ current subscribers
• Approximately 3,268 LEO satellites in orbit
• 65 total licensed launches of Starlink satellites by SpaceX
• 59 gateway stations across the U.S.
• 40 countries served worldwide

Starlink Plans and Pricing

Starlink internet deals and pricing are straightforward and free of hidden fees, offering four plan types. For the residential Starlink internet plan, customers can expect to pay $110 per month, while the RV internet plan costs $135 per month. These Starlink internet plans offer download speeds up to 200 Mbps and require a $599 upfront payment for the hardware (dish, router, and cables).

Starlink Business internet, on the other hand, costs $500 per month with a one-time hardware cost of $2,500. Starlink Maritime internet costs $5,000 per month and comes with two high-performance Starlink dish terminals for an upfront cost of $10,000. Both Starlink Business and Starlink Maritime internet plans can achieve download speeds up to 350 Mbps.

Unlike other satellite companies, Starlink doesn’t allow subscribers to lease their equipment. Also, service may not be available in your area. In this situation, you can place a $99 deposit ($500 for Starlink Business) applicable toward your Starlink Kit purchase.

If you’ve visited the Starlink website recently, you may have seen a message like, “Starlink expects to expand service in your area by early to mid 2022. You will receive a notification once your Starlink is ready to ship.” SpaceX is working to fulfill 750,000 preorders. Delays in service activation are primarily due to two factors: capacity and silicon.

Even though 3,268 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 65 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 350 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.