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UK Starlink Broadband Speeds Rise

Global leader in network intelligence, Ookla, also well known for their free web service on network performance analysis Speedtest.net, have published their latest data for the last quarter of 2022. 

Their latest study reports on the internet download, upload and latency performance for UK customers (as well as other countries) using SpaceX’s Starlink Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ultrafast satellite broadband. 

The report found that the Starlink satellite broadband speeds are on the rise. 

What is Starlink?

You can read more about Starlink on one of our previous blogs here. 

Starlink satellite broadband is made up of a constellation of approximately 3680 low earth orbit satellites. By next year they plan to have 4425, and then 7500 by the end of 2027. 

Here in the UK, a customer of Starlink can expect to pay a £460 fee for the regular home kit (standard dish, router) plus £40 shipping and then £75 per month for the ‘standard’ plan. On the standard plan you can expect unlimited usage, fast latency times (25-50ms), downloads of between 50 and 200Mbps and uploads of between 5 and 15Mbps. 

As the network continues to grow, it’s possible that the speeds will change. 

Remember though – Speeds can differ out in the real world and aren’t always the same as the performance advertised by the ISP. 

Starlink Speeds

Back in the second quarter of 2022, the report showed that Starlink’s average download speeds had fallen between then and the year before in the UK and other countries including France, Germany and USA. Here in the UK speeds had dropped by 19%. 

Thankfully, the data from the last quarter of 2022 shows that speeds are starting to rise again. 

But speed isn’t the only thing to look for. A good user experience is also about consistently lowering latency, and Starlink seems to have lowered the latency from an average of 36-39ms to 53ms. Remember with latency, the lower figures are faster!

What Were Starlink’s UK Broadband Speeds Over the Last Year? 

Below are the download, upload and latency speeds for each quarter between 2021 and 2022. You can see that latency was about the same figure for about a year, before improving over the last quarter of 2022. 

You can also see how upload and download speeds were increasing quarter on quarter Q2 2022 where they both dropped. The latest figures for Q4 2023 appear to show the upload and download speeds starting to improve once again. 

This could be the increase in the number of LEO satellites being launched. As the network gets bigger and more LEO satellites are orbiting earth, we could see Starlink satellite broadband speeds continue to increase as well as improved latency.

Q4 2022

Download 96.79Mbps

Upload 12.40Mbps

Latency 53ms

Q2 2022

Download 85.07Mbps

Upload 10.72Mbps

Latency 39ms

Q4 2021

Download 121.94Mbps

Upload 13.96Mbps

Latency 36ms 

Q3 2021

Download 111.66Mbps

Upload 16.02Mbps

Latency 37ms

Q2 2021

Download 108.30Mbps

Upload 15.64Mbps

Latency 37ms

Starlink Satellite Broadband for Rural Areas

We’ve written before about how transformative satellite broadband can be for more rural areas – Both homes and businesses. 

These clients are likely to struggle with the standard fixed line broadband options, and even some mobile (4G/5G) services. For people who live and work in rural areas, the speeds above that Starlink satellite broadband can offer are going to be gladly received compared to the other much slower options. 

Get in Touch

If you are interested in how Starlink satellite broadband could help your home or business, please get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. We work out of Hampshire, London and Cardiff offering Wi-Fi solutions to transform your connection. 

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SpaceX Starlink to Provide Next-Generation Wi-Fi to Carnival Cruises

If you are a part of the cruising community then you might have seen via Carnival Corporation that they have signed a new agreement with Starlink – The satellite technology leader.

Even if you’re not a part of the cruising community, you will likely have heard of Carnival Corporation. They are one of the world’s largest leisure travel companies, boasting a portfolio of world-class cruise lines.

This provision of next-generation Wi-Fi on Carnival cruise ships is all set to transform connectivity for both guests and crew, bringing the ships faster internet and greater capacity. 

This new and improved Wi-Fi connectivity will start aboard the Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruises brands. 

Carnival is the world’s largest cruise company, so it makes sense that they are committed to providing their guests with fast internet. Their ongoing strategy is to provide their guests with the best Wi-Fi experience at sea by tripling bandwidth fleet-wide since 2019. 

Last week, the latest move in this connectivity strategy was signing an agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide next-generation internet connectivity across its global fleet. 

Starlink utilises LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite technology, providing faster service, greater capacity and more reliable Wi-Fi on a global scale. 

Rollout of Starlink connectivity on board cruise ships has begun

December last year saw the beginning of the Starlink rollout across their Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA Cruise fleet of ships. 

They have plans to extend Starlink connectivity to more of their world-class cruise brands such as Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises (Australia and UK), Cunard, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises and Seabourn. 

Until recently, at-sea experiences of Wi-Fi aboard cruise ships were not very comparable to on-land connectivity. By signing with Starlink, Carnival are greatly improving their on-board connectivity for guests (and crew) by offering the best available Wi-Fi experience – Rivalling even on-land connectivity. 

In an age where the majority of people expect to be able to connect whilst on holiday, this is big news. How can guests share their holiday snaps with friends and family back home if they’ve got patchy Wi-Fi? 

Guests may also find that they would like to stream movies back in their cabin via Netflix or watch specific sports matches live – Buffering is not an option. 

Starlink to provide cruise guests and crew with home-level connectivity whilst at sea

CEO of Carnival Corporation, Josh Weinstein says:

“For many of our guests, it has become more and more important to maintain the type of connectivity at sea that they’ve become accustomed to at home, and of course to share the unforgettable experiences of their cruise with friends and family.

“We are in the business of delivering happiness, and Starlink makes it as easy as possible for our guests to share all their great moments and memories, giving them even more joy out of their cruise vacation.”

Not only does this new-generation Wi-Fi bring more joy to guests, but it will also enable Carnival brands to offer new guest services and features – All through added bandwidth.

And it’s not just the guests that will be seeing the benefits of Starlink connectivity on board. The increased bandwidth will also help at an operational level with things like onboard equipment monitoring as well as real-time communications between teams on ship and on the shore. 

Whatsmore, Carnival isn’t just about bringing joy to their guests at sea but their crew too. Guests aren’t the only ones that want to stay in touch with friends and family back home whilst they’re aboard the ship – Their crew members also want to do the same. Starlink’s innovative satellite technology will enable them to do just this. 

Starlink thrilled to bring high-speed broadband to remote waters

Vice President of Sales for SpaceX Starlink, Jonathan Hofeller says:

“High-speed, low-latency broadband internet is critical in our modern age, and we’re excited to provide Carnival Cruise Line and AIDA’s guests an internet experience that makes their travel even more enjoyable.

“In even the most remote waters, guests onboard Carnival Corporation ships will be able to share real-time updates with friends and family.”

Carnival already has a portfolio of world-class communications service and technology providers for their ships – Satellite and otherwise. Starlink are the latest provider to join this growing group of pioneering tech providers. 

Carnival remains the industry leader for their connectivity, fleet wide. Their global presence sees almost 100 ships visit over 700 ports worldwide. It’s little wonder they are innovative in their attitude to connectivity, using a multi-provider approach with a framework strategically designed to optimise their network speeds and route internet traffic aboard their fleet anywhere in the world. 

Our resident Wi-Fi expert and CEO Steve is a bit of an avid cruise goer. He’s excited to check out first hand how Starlink next-generation satellite Wi-Fi will enhance the guest experience aboard these cruise ships. 

To read more about this new-generation Wi-Fi aboard Carnival cruise ships, you can visit their website: www.carnivalcorp.com or  www.carnival.com.

We’re Experts in Starlink Installations

Of course, cruise ships aren’t the only industry that can benefit from Starlink satellite connectivity. There are plenty of places on land that could see an improvement in internet speeds by using Starlink technology. 

As experts in Starlink installation, do get in touch with us here at Geekabit if you think your rural business or outdoor event could benefit from satellite broadband. We’d be more than happy to chat through the options and see if Starlink satellite technology could transform your connectivity. 

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Ultrafast Broadband Satellites: SpaceX Launch Starlink v2 

You may have read our previous blogs on Starlink – the satellite broadband internet system from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. This low latency internet option is ideal for rural areas and consists of a constellation of small satellites in a low earth orbit, working with transceivers on the ground.

Last month, SpaceX launched its second generation of Starlink Block v2.0 satellites into Low Earth Orbit. 54 of these satellites have now joined the rest of the constellation, hopefully resulting in multiple improvements to the service, including:

  • Better capacity and faster broadband speeds
  • Better coverage
  • Improved network reliability
  • Delivery of mobile phone services from space

What do Starlink customers pay and what service do they get?

UK Starlink customers generally pay about £75 per month, plus the cost of the standard home kit at £460 (including the standard dish and router) in addition to a £40 shipping fee.

The standard Starlink package includes:

  • Unlimited usage
  • Fast latency times (25-50ms)
  • Download speeds of 50-200Mbps
  • Upload speeds of 5-15Mbps

With the latest number of subscribers currently at around 1 million – Double what it was just over 6 months ago) it looks like it’s becoming increasingly in demand. It is worth noting that the speeds quoted above may change as the network grows. 

What does the latest Starlink launch mean?

Starlink now has about 3,370 satellites in a Low Earth Orbit at an altitude of around 500km. The aim is to have 4,400 LEO satellites deployed by 2024. They also have approval to launch another 7,500 by the end of 2027. 

Interestingly, this latest Starlink launch looks like it includes an experimental batch of GEN2 satellites. These second generation satellites aren’t what tech experts were expecting to see as part of the launch, hence why they are being viewed as somewhat experimental. 

These trial satellites include some of the improvements wireless engineers were hoping to see from satellite broadband. 

Originally, the plan was for the second generation satellites to be launched on board their Starship rocket. These satellites would have seen the following enhancements:

  • Bigger – 7m long unfolded and 1,250kg
  • Lasers for inter-satellite links
  • Ability to use more spectrum bandwidth (e.g. the V band)
  • Reductions in brightness through dielectric film
  • Larger antenna
  • More power and support for connecting 4G and 5G smartphones from space (mobile broadband for voice and data) through twin solar array

However, unfortunately the Starship rocket still isn’t ready. As this would have been the only economically viable way to launch that version of second generation satellites, Starlink decided to adapt these Gen2’s so that they could launch with the Falcon9 rockets which is what we saw in December. 

These adapted GEN2’s are actually more similar in form to the first generation satellites. They are smaller than originally planned (just over 300m each) hence why they were able to launch earlier than waiting for the Starship rocket. 

Which features are being tested with this set of GEN 2 satellites? It’s not too clear, but likely to include enhancements related to Starlink’s acquisition of SWARm Technologies. Their tiny pico satellites were for connecting small IoT devices, utilised for agricultural sensors, buoys in the sea and smart energy metres. 

Whilst we may not be getting all the benefits that would be expected from GEN2 in this current form, SpaceX are preparing something intermediary in the form of a v2 mini which will weigh around 800kg and be 4.1m x 2.7m in size. Benefits such as improved bandwidth are likely to come along with this form. 

Why are we interested in the latest Starlink satellite launch?

Here at Geekabit we strive to offer the very best wireless broadband connectivity to our clients – Wherever they are based.

With this in mind, we will be starting to offer Starlink satellite internet for hire. This will be especially useful for those running temporary events like festivals, rural press launches, sports events and film crews.

All events depend on excellent communications and we are passionate about providing reliable internet access for some of the most prestigious events names in the UK. Keeping you connected is our passion.

For more information and to find the best solution to suit your internet needs, please get in touch with one of our event Wi-Fi experts – We’re here to get you connected. 

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Our Top Wi-Fi Blogs of 2021

A new year has begun, and no doubt it will bring new technology and wireless improvements with it!

Here at Geekabit, we covered a lot of different Wi-Fi topics last year here on the blog, many of which were steered by the enquiries we were receiving to our Wi-Fi Experts across Winchester, London and Cardiff. We saw a big increase in demand for 4G broadband, particularly for homes in rural areas. Hybrid broadband has also soared in popularity!

We’ve also talked a lot about 5G and Wi-Fi 6 and a few of the products already available on the market. With there still being a heavy focus on working from home throughout 2021, it’s no surprise that reliable broadband and internet speeds at home were still crucial. We even launched our own product – SpeedScore – A great way for estate agents and landlords to accurately identify their broadband speeds.

With all of this in mind, we thought we would take a look back on the last year and see what blogs were most popular with you – Our readers!

#10 – Just making the top 10 reads from 2021 is a blog on the 4G Broadband Teltonika RUT950 router. This device was out top product for 4G broadband installations during 2021 – Click the blog to find out why.

4G Broadband and the Teltonika RUT950 Industrial Cellular Router

#9 – Continuing on the 4G broadband theme, in at number 9 is why 4G broadband could be the answer for all your rural Wi-Fi woes. 2021 brought us many clients desperate for a quicker Wi-Fi service in rural areas, particularly those who had moved out of London but expected the same internet connectivity. If you’re sticking with more working-from-home as we move into 2022, then have a read of this blog to see if 4G broadband could bring you a better connection.

4G Broadband – The Answer to Your Rural Wi-Fi Woes?

#8 – Last year we saw a big buzz around 5G. This blog was all about the Robustel R5020 router – An exciting product offering 5G connectivity at a competitive price.

The Robustel R5020 5G Router

#7 – We can’t talk about 4G broadband without talking about data plans. Joining in on the blog popularity of 4G/5G broadband and pieces of kit was this blog on Unlimited 4G broadband data plans. well worth a read if you’re going down the 4G broadband route.

The Best Unlimited 4G Data Plans for Broadband

#6 – Which brings us nicely to hybrid broadband. This has seen a soar in popularity, and we’re expecting to see a lot more of this in client enquiries over this coming year. But what is hybrid broadband? If you’re wanted unbreakable Wi-Fi for your home or business then this could well be the solution you’ve been searching for.

 

What is Hybrid Broadband?

#5 – 2021 saw Facebook launch it’s own Wi-Fi – But what is it? Hundreds of thousands of businesses are already using it, but if you’re not yet one of them then click the blog below to see what you need to know.

What is Facebook Wi-Fi?

#4 – Anything to do with Ubiquiti always proves a popular blog topic. And with good reason – These devices are one of the staple pieces of kit here at Geekabit. The Ubiquiti UniFi range of access points are always easy to match to our clients needs.

How Do I Choose The Right Ubiquiti UniFi Access Point?

#3 – Wi-Fi 6 was another topic on everyone’s lips last year. This blog on the Amplifi Alien Wi-Fi 6 router was a big favourite of our readers – Could that be because of the ongoing need to work and learn from home?

Amplifi Alien – The New Wi-Fi 6 Router from Ubiquiti

#2 – How do you choose the right wireless product for your home or business? It’s a question often asked so no wonder this blog looking at 3 top wireless products almost made the top spot. If you want to compare UniFi, Meraki and Aruba bits of wireless kit then this is the blog for you.

UniFi vs Meraki vs Aruba

#1 – And here we are at number one. The most popular blog last year was this one on Starlink and what it meant for broadband here in the UK. another interesting read, particularly those living and working in more rural areas, struggling with connectivity.

What is Starlink and what does it mean for UK broadband?

So there you go – Our top ten Wi-Fi blogs of 2021. We’re excited to see what 2022 will bring!

 

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Could Pesky Pigeons be Interfering with your Satellite Broadband?

A short while ago we blogged about space entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company Starlink – A new satellite broadband service.

In a recent article from the BBC, a cyber-security expert from The University of Surrey talks about the outages he experiences on his satellite broadband – And how he thinks they could be down to pigeons sitting on his dish!

Those who live in rural areas can only dream of fibre broadband – Satellite broadband gives these people a chance for low latency broadband. This particular cyber expert, Professor Woodward, is one the 100,000 beta testers of the LEO (low Earth orbit) satellite broadband system.

And he believes that his satellite dish looks rather like a modern bird bath – That the pigeons have taken a shining to!

It’s definitely not a bird bath though. This fancy little dish sends and receives signals to passing satellites. There is a constellation of 1,700 satellites at a height of approximately 550km (380 miles). You might have seen them in the night sky! They orbit earth about every 90 minutes.

Starlink plan to mobilise tens of thousands more of these satellite to improve their broadband service. However, Space X, the company who operate Starlink, have been slowed down by chip and liquid oxygen fuel shortages.

Whilst it’s not definitive what is actually causing Prof Woodward glitches, expert opinion says that a pigeon sitting on a Starlink antenna could certainly cause a decrease in performance.

Starlink aren’t the only organisation planning to provide satellite broadband. There are quite a few in the pipeline!

  • Project Kuiper from Amazon has a plan to launch 3,236 satellites
  • Canadian company Telesat are planning to put 298 satellites into orbit
  • The EU are making plans for a ‘mega-constellation’
  • China are making plans for their own satellite network
  • OneWeb – Part funded by the UK taxpayer – already have hardware in space like Starlink, with 288 satellites in space

If you’ve not heard of OneWeb, their focus will be on providing internet to businesses, maritime users and the government. They have a deal with BT, which means there is a strong likelihood that they will also provide consumer broadband to rural areas. It could also mean portable 5G cells for hire.

Some people may even be using satellite broadband without realising it! For places where fibre isn’t available, suppliers may run a satellite link. This would feed the local broadband pipe, giving rural homes a connection.

Becoming a beta tester isn’t cheap

If you’re struggling with a rural broadband connection and are sat wondering how much it might cost to become a Starlink beta tester, then read on.

It currently costs about £500 for all of the equipment you will need, plus £89 per month fees.

Thankfully, it’s pretty straightforward to get it all set up. Starlink will provide you with an app that helps identify any potential obstructions when you’re choosing the best spot for your dish.

You’ll want to choose somewhere flat and easy to get to – But worth considering the pigeons too!

Once you connect to the router and the dish is in prime position, you should find yourselves with fast internet.

What are the actual speeds of satellite broadband?

In this example, the average speeds were 150-200 megabits per second (Mbps) download speeds and 10-20Mbps upload. Whilst there may be occasional dropouts, this scenario didn’t experience interruptions in streaming shows.

And for many people struggling for broadband in rural locations, these speeds are a dream come true.

And with Elon Musk hoping to double the top speeds offered to 300Mbps, there seems to be scope for improvement.

What can affect satellite broadband service?

Well, as the blog title implies, pigeons can be a bit of an issue. But there are also other factors that can affect the service that satellite broadband service users receive via LEO satellites.

  • It depends on whether there are a number of other dishes nearby. For this reason, Starlink limits the number of users per coverage area. In a given area, not very many users can have the top speed at the same time. This is because it has a finite capacity it can provide in a given area, so user experience will decrease as the number of nearby users increases.
  • Regulator Ofcom expressed their concerns about how different satellite systems could cause interference. What would you prefer – A slow but reliable connection, or a fast yet intermittent one? For things like Zoom, you’re going to need a continuous connection.

Will the skies become crowded?

Astronomers have actually already started observing how busy the LEO is becoming, and how trails of satellites are interfering with their observations.

The possibility of collisions is also a very real concern. Apparently there have already been reported near misses involving Starlink satellites, with experts warning that the ability to prevent collisions between the many satellite constellations will become increasingly difficult for both humans and algorithms.

This means we may require more technologically advanced solutions in order to keep spacecraft safe in space.

Of course, the number of satellites orbiting earth will depend on the demand for them. There’s not much point sending all these satellites up into space if there isn’t actually a demand for satellite broadband here on earth!

But for those living in rural areas where fibre broadband isn’t possible, satellite broadband could be just the solution.

Just make sure to watch out for the pigeons!

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What is Starlink and what does it mean for UK broadband?

Over the past few weeks we’ve been sharing articles about our clients’ experiences with slow, unreliable rural internet connections. We’ve been able to rectify this problem for them with the installation of 4G antennas and routers.

We’re no stranger to the issues rural villages face when it comes to internet connectivity. Over the past few days UK press has reported the beginnings of a potential new solution that could also help those that struggle with standard broadband connections. You may have seen Starlink in the headlines – But what’s it all about?

 

What is Starlink?

Starlink is a satellite broadband internet system from Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It is penned to provide a low latency internet option ideal for rural areas. It will consist of a constellation of small satellites in a low earth orbit, working with transceivers on the ground.

It’s made the press in the last 48 hours for securing a deal with telecoms mast company Arqiva, who will provide ground stations enabling SpaceX to spread its satellite internet service across Britain.

 

How does Starlink work?

As reported yesterday, Arqiva (based in Crawley, Hampshire) will be providing SpaceX with ground transceivers to increase UK coverage. With large ground station dishes at sites in Hampshire, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, Arqiva has much of the home counties covered.

These ground stations will help to connected broadband satellites to the fibre network, allowing them to deliver internet signals.

The internet services that SpaceX will provide is direct to the consumer via a satellite dish. Although it’s not currently on offer throughout the UK, initial trials have been carried out in Devon and Cornwall with those taking part having received their dishes in early 2021.

The move to secure ground stations will help enable Starlink to expand its satellite coverage across the UK. They hope to cover much of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by the end of this year.

 

When will Starlink have UK wide coverage?

Starlink’s network of low-earth-orbit satellites is growing rapidly. There are currently 1000 small satellites in orbit across the northern hemisphere, with plans to eventually have launched up to 12,000. Coupled with the provider’s move to lease ground infrastructure, this could well be an internet option for rural villages by the end of 2021.

 

Is Starlink connected to Project Gigabit?

This week, the government have launched Project Gigabit – A £5 billion government project to improve internet infrastructure and bring next generation gigabit broadband to hard to reach homes and businesses.

Officials from Starlink have been in talks with UK government in regards to how their satellite internet service could be used as a part of Project Gigabit, connecting remote parts of UK countryside to broadband speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.

The rapid expansion of Starlink’s satellite network could accelerate this project.

 

How much will Starlink broadband cost?

To get set up as a Starlink customer here in the UK, you’ll need to first buy a Starlink satellite dish costing £439. There will then be a monthly subscription fee of £89.

 

How will Starlink’s satellite internet compare to other broadband offerings?

Trial customers that have started using Starlink’s satellite internet service already, have so far enjoyed speeds of 100-200 megabits per second.

If this standard was to be seen across the UK, especially in rural areas, it would be a significant improvement in internet speeds.

 

Are Starlink the only player when it comes to satellite internet service?

Earlier in the year, Arqiva reported to investors that they were actively ‘developing opportunities’ with low-earth-orbit constellations customers.

SpaceX was among those that were named, as well as Amazon and OneWeb so watch this space.

 

Can I get Starlink satellite internet now?

Starlink is currently only offering an initial beta service through trials, both domestically and internationally.

With the news this week in regards to ground stations, it’s expansion is expected to continue rapidly with near global coverage (including the UK) by the end of this year.

 

This week has certainly seen some exciting new developments within the Starlink satellite internet service. We’re keen to see what happens next, and whether their internet speeds will indeed be as fast and reliable as they hope.

But for now, we’re sticking with our 4G solution to rural Wi-Fi problems. If you need reliable internet now, and a slow Openreach connection just isn’t cutting it, get in touch about our 4G broadband option today. You can read more about how we’ve helped rural clients in Hampshire get a reliable 4G broadband connection here.

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