SpaceX's Starlink internet is a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet provider from the mind of Elon Musk. Starlink internet offers unlimited data, above broadband speeds for most of its plans, and less latency than most satellite internet providers.
Starlink plans also include unlimited data, but are also much more expensive.
For NBN Sky Muster satellite customers, there's no comparison. NBN satellite speeds are capped at 25Mbps and often provide low amounts of data. Starlink is a superior choice here, offering up to 6 times faster speeds than NBN satellite, complete with unlimited data.
This is a question that is often asked. And to those residents in rural areas across Australia, who are unfortunately not privileged with strong or fast internet, our answer is YES.
This is caused by too many Starlink customers in your area trying to connect at the same time. Since there is limited bandwidth through the satellites, you are competing with other Starlink users for speed. You can test to see if your issue is network congestion by performing a speed test outside of peak hours.
The Flat High-Performance Starlink is a game-changer for those who need consistent internet connectivity while in motion. With enhanced GPS capabilities and a wide field of view, the Flat High-Performance Starlink can connect to more satellites, providing high-speed, low-latency internet on the go.
If you have NBN Satellite or NBN fixed wireless you will most likely have increased performance through upgrading to Starlink. However if you currently have fibre to the curb or fibre to the premises, then NBN would be the better option.
Starlink's download speed in Australia was 24 per cent slower during the final quarter of 2022 then it was the prior year – but it's still outpacing its fixed broadband competitors. This is according to Ookla's latest speedtests for SpaceX's Starlink and Sky Logic services.
Are there any alternatives to Starlink? The biggest competitor to Starlink in Australia is the NBN, but more specifically the NBN's satellite service, Sky Muster.
How many devices can Starlink handle at one time? As standard, Starlink can support up to 200 devices but with ClubWiFi's network technology this can be considerably increased to up to 8000 devices securely on a public network.
On Wednesday Optus announced that it would be partnering with SpaceX's Starlink satellite system to “cover 100% of Australia” with mobile connectivity.
How can I use my mobile phone with Starlink? You can use an App on your mobile phone that will allow you to make and receive calls using your Starlink connection. It's important to note that you will need to be in WIFI range of your modem/router for your phone to make and receive calls.
Starlink isn't as fast as fiber, but it still reaches broadband speeds according to the FCC. Fiber can be 4-5x faster vs Starlink, with a lower monthly cost, and better reliability. Latency is also lower. The downside of fiber is that it isn't available in many places in the US, especially in rural areas.
Starlink satellite dish. Starlink has abandoned plans to charge data overage fees to standard residential users who exceed 1TB of monthly usage. When SpaceX's Starlink division first announced the data cap in November 2022, it said that residential customers would get 1TB of "priority access data" each month.
The final frontier? This story was originally published on WhistleOut Australia. Anyone anywhere in Australia can now order a Starlink plan, with the satellite internet firm announcing its coverage now covers the entire country.
How fast is Starlink in Australia? Starlink says customers in Australia can expect download speeds between 20Mbps and 100Mbps, and upload speeds between 5Mbps and 15Mbps.
Previously limited to serving only 'low and remote density areas', Starlink Australia has coverage in most of Australia at the time of this writing. Musk has stated that their internet services are best suited for low population density situations.
In terms of upfront costs, Starlink is the cheaper option. However, the cost of the service is significantly higher than 5G plans. On the other hand, Starlink offers much faster speeds than 5G, which could make it the better choice for people who need reliable, high-speed internet access.
Starlink has told the government and major telecommunications companies it has signed up 120,000 Australian customers – 20,000 more than it reportedly had in February – heaping further pressure on NBN's own flagging satellite venture.
The vast confines of Down Under will get satellite Internet and phone service via an official partnership between Telstra - Australia's largest carrier - and Elon Musk's Starlink. The SpaceX provider will deliver satellite Internet to remote rural areas via the official Telstra sales channels.
The advantages of Starlink include its scalability, affordability, and global reach, while the disadvantages include the high latency and unreliable connection speeds.
Does Starlink internet work for gaming? Starlink is easily the best choice for gaming over satellite internet, though a wired connection like cable or fiber is still much better.
Based on the factors I outlined above, it is safe to say that Starlink satellite internet is good enough for gaming. The main factor is latency, or the time it takes for data to travel back and forth from the game server. Median Starlink latency is under 50 ms, while HughesNet and Viasat are over 10 times that number.