Starlink – Future of the Satellite Internet

Although you already have internet access that’s why you are here reading this article. If you have ever spent time in rural areas then you might be aware of internet issues there. Even though internet users have increased tremendously in the last decade, internet accessibility in rural areas is still a challenge. One of the solutions to provide internet access to rural areas and other inaccessible areas is satellite internet. Satellite internet is not new because top Satellite internet providers like Viasat and HughesNet are already in the market. They don’t cover the whole planet so most of the rural areas still don’t have access to High-speed internet. Starlink, currently in the beta phase will cover the whole planet to provide high-speed, low latency broadband internet. I will cover everything that you need to know related to Starlink Satellite Internet in this article.

Man behind Starlink

It might not be a surprise for you to hear that the man behind Starlink is none other than Elon Musk who is already famous for his creative ideas and SpaceX. Using the experience of building and launching Rockets and Spacecraft, SpaceX is now going to deploy the world’s most advanced broadband Satellite internet system which will make the internet accessible to everyone whether you live in a city or rural area.

Working Mechanism

Starlink Satellite internet is not different from the already existing satellite communication system which uses satellite dishes on earth to receive and transmit data and communicates with orbiting satellites that are at a specific distance above Earth’s equator. To ensure low Latency Starlink satellites are placed 60 times closer to Earth than traditional satellites. For making a connection you need to install a small satellite dish at your home to receive a signal and pass the bandwidth to the router. To make setup easier, Starlink has its own Android app and iOS app.

Pros of Starlink Satellite Internet System

• With the aim of covering the whole planet, Starlink satellite internet will be able to provide internet access in the areas where internet access is unreliable or unavailable till now.
• No local internet service provider can impose restrictions on the internet or ban any website as internet access will be provided through satellites. So local authorities will have less control over the internet and online content that people will access through the internet.

Cons of Starlink Satellite Internet System

• The internet connection will not be as fast as a fiber connection. In the beta phase(currently open) internet speed can vary from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms.
• It’s expensive than a Fiber connection considering internet speed is also not as fast as a Fiber connection.
• Governments and local authorities will have less control over the internet so things can get out of control. People might be able to get access to the content which is restricted by their government or local authorities. Starlink is still available in few locations, they might allow to control the internet and impose restrictions in the future.
• To make a good connection between Starlink Satellite and dish the required clear field of view is a 100-degree cone around the center of the dish (after tilting) with a 25-degree elevation minimum to make a connection between Starlink satellite and Starlink dish installed at your house. The connection is like a single beam(which keeps moving as the satellite moves) between two objects. Any obstruction between the beam can cause a loss of connection. You can see the FAQ on the official website of Starlink for more details.

How to order Starlink?

In Beta Phase the service is available only in parts of the USA, Canada, and the UK at this point. As more satellites will become part of the constellation, the coverage area will grow. If interested and are lucky enough to fall in coverage map, you can order Starlink Kit on official website. While adding location during order placement, you will be notified whether your area is within coverage map or not before placement of order. The service charges are $99/month and an initial payment of $500 for Starlink Kit including mountable Starlink dish to make a connection with satellite.

Conclusion

At this point, there are many rural and remote areas all over the world where Fiber Internet is unreliable. Starlink will cover this gap in the future and the internet will be accessible in every part of the world. No doubt the cost of Starlink service in the Beta phase is very high as compared to traditional internet services. It’s expected in future cost will reduce to make it a better choice for customers waiting for Starlink’s internet service.