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How Does Starlink Compare to OneWeb?

What a time to be alive! Right above our heads, there’s a space race taking place in the skies between LEO satellite broadband providers Starlink and OneWeb. 

Making space-based connectivity a reality, these 2 private satellite-broadband companies are building worldwide networks to provide global satellite internet coverage through LEO satellites. 

You might think that they are direct competitors, but actually whilst Starlink and OneWeb are similar in many ways, they also significantly differ as well. 

So let’s take a look at how 2 of the most innovative companies of our generation compare when it comes to LEO satellite broadband.

What is Starlink?

Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX has a division called Starlink. Starlink consists of a constellation of 6,078 Low Earth Orbit satellites that circle the Earth, aiming to make connectivity possible from anywhere for the average person.

2019 saw Starlink beginning to launch their first satellites, with their satellite broadband service now offering internet access to more than 30 countries. 

What is OneWeb?

Founded in 2012 and with investors consisting of the UK government, the Indian telecom firm Bharti Global and Japanese investment group Softbank group, OneWeb is a UK-based broadband satellite organisation that is rapidly expanding connectivity across the globe. CEO Neil Masterson says OneWeb is striving to “provide fibre where there’s no fibre.” 

How does Starlink compare to OneWeb?

Let’s take a closer look at the goals, technical specifications, constellations, performance and support of these satellite internet providers. 

Business Goals

Whilst to some, Starlink and OneWeb may be considered “rivals”, they are actually more like peers. In fact, SpaceX have even assisted OneWeb by launching 40 OneWeb satellites into orbit using SpaceX rockets. 

You may think this is odd, but actually they don’tsee themselves as direct competitors. They have differing business goals and objectives as well as target customers. 

Starlink Business Goal 

The business mission behind Starlink’s is to provide high-speed internet access to everyone. While that can and does include businesses, the primary aim for Starlink’s is to help residential customers. Especially those based in rural locations where the land-based infrastructure is lacking and connectivity is difficult. Of course, this applies to rural businesses as well.

OneWeb Business Goal

Whilst the business objective of OneWeb is similar, this UK-based company strives to supply high-speed internet to businesses across the globe (rather than residential customers) thus improving IoT. Consumers accessing OneWeb satellite broadband will do so through a secondary business. 

Technical Specifications

We can’t host a Starlink vs OneWeb article without looking at the tech specs now can we? 

Constellations

First let’s look at the constellations themselves. As we’ve already mentioned, both Starlink and OneWeb’s satellites are in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – But interestingly they’re not anywhere near each other. Starlink satellites can be found at 550km/340mi from Earth, whereas OneWeb satellites orbit the planet at 1,200km/746mi from Earth. 

Starlink has a current fleet of 6,078 satellites in their constellation. They plan to have 7,500 by the end of 2027. OneWeb currently has 648 satellites in their LEO constellation. Although this is the number required for global coverage, they hope to expand to 7,000 satellites in the future. 

Whilst Starlink’s fleet might seem more impressive, let’s remember that both Starlink and OneWeb have different objectives and timelines – And both are currently on track to change connectivity through their satellite broadband offerings. 

Latency

In simple terms, broadband satellites work by sending and receiving data from Earth. Latency is the time it takes for data to travel back and forth. 

Starlink purport to offer a maximum latency of 20 to 40 milliseconds, with field testing finding an average of approximately 40 to 50 milliseconds. This is slightly lower latency than OneWeb, who promise latency of under 100 milliseconds.

Legacy broadband satellites generally have a latency of around 600 milliseconds or more, so both Starlink and OneWeb offer a significant improvement to the previous technology available. 

Bandwidth

Starlink and OneWeb both offer substantial bandwidth but each with distinctive features. 

Starlink Bandwidth

According to Starlink’s website, Starlink users can generally enjoy download speeds ranging from 25 to 220 Mbps. The majority of customers experience download speeds of over 100 Mbps. Upload speeds are usually found to be within 5 to 20 Mbps.

OneWeb Bandwidth

For those who have critical applications that require a certain bandwidth, OneWeb offers the option to purchase Committed Information Rate (CIR), which ensures a dedicated bandwidth for those applications that are business critical. 

OneWeb users can also choose the location of their ground station, allowing the routing of traffic to a specific area. 

As part of a demonstration prepared for the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA), the company conducted a Proof of Concept (PoC) test, establishing connectivity with its LEO constellation. 

A recent Proof of Concept test for the NCIA saw OneWeb achieve seamless streaming of 4K video feeds and simultaneous operation of various applications, including Microsoft Teams, Twitch, and Google Earth. It also saw download speeds of 195Mbps, upload speeds of 32 Mbps and latency as low as 70 milliseconds. A pretty impressive result.

Reliability

Let’s remember that Starlink and OneWeb both have slightly different business goals, so looking at the reliability of each in critical scenarios will shine a light on the different user needs and thus the suitability of each. 

Starlink has shown that it offers a highly reliable internet service, especially for users living in remote areas. It has been praised by reviewers worldwide for its high download and upload speeds. It has also shown itself to be a viable option for those where more traditional connectivity options are not available or reliable. 

Whilst it has been reported that there are the occasional hiccups (as with all internet provisions, let’s be honest) and its suitability questioned for critical situations and disasters like fires, in ‘normal’ day to day residential life, it performs well and provides reliable broadband where services were previously unavailable.

For larger scale businesses that require a consistent and trustworthy internet experience for critical operations, OneWeb is committed to meet the demand. 

It would appear that OneWeb can provide a dependable internet solution in difficult geographical landscapes where ordinary broadband wouldn’t be an option. Business users in hard to reach, remote locations can experience robust and consistent internet connections with OneWeb. Compared to terrestrial networks, OneWeb offers heightened reliability without susceptibility to weather-related disruptions. 

Customer Support 

If you’ve ever needed to speak to someone about an internet-related problem, then you’ll know how important good customer support is. This is no different in the satellite internet industry. 

Starlink’s Customer Support System

The customer support system from Starlink relies exclusively on email support, which could present some problems when trying to provide real-time assistance to users. 

OneWeb’s Support System

OneWeb offers an accessible and robust troubleshooting service with 24/7 customer support via telephone assistance. 

Starlink vs OneWeb – Quick Recap

As we’ve seen above, the performance, bandwidth, reliability, support systems, and target customer do vary between OneWeb and Starlink. Having an understanding of these differences can help users to identify which reliable, high-performance satellite internet solution would be best for their needs. 

StarlinkOneWeb
Number of Satellites6,078648
BandwidthMajority of users enjoy download speeds of 100 Mbps, ranging up to 220 MbpsDownload speeds up to 150 Mbps
ReliabilityReliable internet service, occasional hiccups reportedConsistent and trustworthy in challenging landscapes 
LatencyAdvertised: 20-40 ms, Field tests: 40-50 ms (Slightly better than OneWeb) Sub-100 millisecond latency 
Support SystemEmail support24/7 phone support
Consumer Base DynamicsConsumer-oriented, focusing on residential users in rural areasBusiness-focused with an emphasis on IoT 

Starlink Satellite Broadband with Geekabit 

For many UK SME’s who operate in more rural areas, Starlink satellite broadband can offer reliable internet where more traditional methods of connectivity are not an option. If you would like to speak to one of our Wi-Fi experts about whether Starlink satellite broadband could work for your business, then get in touch with our friendly team today. 

Starlink satellite broadband can also provide the ideal solution for outdoor events like festivals, shows and charity events – Especially if you have food and beverage vendors trying to take mobile payments! Here at Geekabit, we offer a Starlink broadband hired service – Find out more here. 

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Is Starlink Business Worth It?

Having provided Starlink satellite broadband for a variety of different customers and clients – From large scale charity events to rural businesses and remote residential properties – We’ve seen first hand how Starlink internet is a game changer for people who aren’t able to get a reliable connection from mobile Wi-Fi or fibre broadband. 

Business Starlink vs. Residential Starlink

Did you know that Starlink offers both a Residential and Business internet service? If you’re wondering how they differ from one another and whether it’s worth going for the Business service, then you’re in the right place! 

Is Bigger Better? Let’s Talk Differences in Dish Size

The dish used for Starlink Business internet services is physically bigger than the Residential package dish. There are big benefits of using the Starlink Business antenna with more elements for better performance:

  • More powerful signals can be sent and received 
  • They perform better in all weather conditions and are more durable
  • Improved performance through better quality connections and lower latency
  • When more satellites are in the sky,  they offer a higher bandwidth

In terms of numbers, the business antenna offers a 140 degrees view, compared to the 110 degrees from the Residential antenna. This increases the service availability by 4 times compared to before. 

GPS functionality is also enhanced as well as improving the visibility of the satellite by about 35%. 

Starlink uses a beam-forming technique for their high-performance dishes, which creates a cone of connectivity to satellites. During satellite transitions, there can be ‘mini outages’ but with the bigger dishes these occur less and are less disruptive due to the upgraded business antenna elements offering faster processing. 

Starlink Business dishes are highly durable with IP56 protection, meaning they can withstand strong jets of water. This is in comparison to the Residential antennas which have IP54 protection which protects them against just splashes. 

What does this mean in real terms? Basically, Starlink Business dishes perform better in extreme weather. Not only does the upgraded heat management system mean that it can offer speeds 3 times faster when temperatures exceed 35 degrees, but the Starlink Business antenna also melts snow 1.7 times faster. 

Get Priority Bandwidth with Starlink Business 

Many home users can get everything they need from a Starlink Residential package, but if you need power then Starlink Business could be the better choice. One big plus of Starlink Business is that you are given higher priority traffic than those on Residential plans. 

We mentioned earlier that the higher performing dish on the Starlink Business service has 35% more visibility – Basically the ability to view 35% more of the sky. This means it can connect to more satellites and maintain those connections better. 

What speeds can you get on Starlink Business compared to Residential?

Starlink Business:

Download speeds – 100-350mbps

Upload speeds – 10-50 mbps

Lower latency

Starlink Residential:

Download – Up to 100 mbps 

Starlink Connectivity for Extreme Environments

If your business needs hardware to keep you connected in extreme weather environments (e.g. high humidity, high/low temperatures, heavy snowfall) then the high performance Starlink Business dish is unlikely to let you down. 

For businesses, having 24/7 bandwidth to support business operations is imperative. The service from Starlink Business can offer more stability, faster connections and fewer dropouts. 

Connectivity via Venn and Starlink

The great thing about Starlink Business is that it can benefit organisations big or small. Through a high performance dish, upgrading to Starlink Business could bring your organisation:

  • A better quality connection
  • Lower latency
  • Improved performance 

Starlink hardware can be combined for organisations who need to cover large, critical sites for multiple and many users needing high availability. 

Venn Telecom has partnered with Starlink, enabling the connection of multiple high-performance Starlink antennas and simultaneous connections to various 5G networks. This enhances reliability and speed even further. 

Starlink Satellite Broadband with Geekabit

If you’re considering Starlink satellite broadband as an alternative way to connect to the internet – For a business or event – Then get in touch with our Wi-Fi expert today. We’ve seen the difference Starlink can make for those in remote or rural areas. 

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SpaceX Starlink Set to Expand UK Broadband Capacity 

SpaceX is trying to increase the capacity of its ultrafast broadband via LEO (Low Earth Orbit) constellation of satellites by seeking approval from Ofcom to get a variation on its existing gateway. They plan to do this by increasing the number of gateway antennas at multipe UK sites and by adopting additional bands. 

Starlink LEO Satellites

At the moment, Starlink have a network of 5,289 LEO satellites. They orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km. 

SpaceX Starlink has approval to expand this number to approximately 7,500 satellites by the end of 2027. 

What is the Cost of Starlink Satellite Broadband? 

For UK customers, costs start at £75 per month. There is an additional cost for the £449 regular home kit which includes a standard dish, router and relevant kit. There is also a shipping fee of £20 on the Standard package. 

By the end of last year, Starlink had a global network of 2.3 million customers (now at 2.6m). 42,000 of those customers were based in the UK (which is up from 13,000 in 2022). Most of these UK customers are based in rural areas. 

Starlink Broadband Speed

The Standard Starlink broadband package promises download speeds of between 25 and 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 5-10 Mbps. It also offers latency times of 25-50 ms. 

What licenses do SpaceX currently hold for Starlink Satellite Broadband?

SpaceX Starlink currently holds multiple NGSO (Non-Geostationary Earth Station) gateway licenses to operate the network. These NGSO gateway licenses help to connect their NGSO system to the internet via large dishes on the ground. 

SpaceX is asking to update 4 of these in order to help boost capacity and meet the growing demand for its broadband services. This follows their recent upgrade to their latest Gen 2 satellites. 

In specific terms, SpaceX want Ofcom to give them permission to increase the number of antennas at 4 of their 7 sites:

  • Fawley
  • Isle of Man
  • Wherstead
  • Woodwalton

Currently, these 4 gateway sites are allowed to operate up to a 9 Ka-band parabolic antennas. These are used to operate their service to UK customers and those in adjacent countries. 

The request for approval to Ofcom from SpaceX includes:

  • An extra 24 antennas at Fawley, Wherestead and Woodwalton. This would bring the total to 32 antennas for these sites. 
  • These new antennas are planned to operate in bands 27.5-28.0525 GHz, 28.4445-29.0605 GHz, 29.4525-30GHz.
  • An extra 32 antennas at the site on the Isle of Man. This would bring the total to 40 for this site. SpaceX already have access to the frequencies they want to operate at for this site (27.5-30GHz).

The regulator’s consultation is open for responses until the 31st May 2024. They state that their initial assessment is that the requested variation from SpaceX should not:

  • Affect other licensed NGSO services
  • Future NGSO services
  • GSO services
  • Fixed links operating in the same user frequencies

Over in the US, SpaceX Starlink already have authorisation from the FCC for their Gen 1 constellation for 4,408 satellites and their Gen 2 constellation for 7,500. 

What are Starlink’s competitors upto?

Inmarsat (Viasat), another satellite operator, has also applied for an NGSO Earth Station Network License for its new GX-10 non-geostationary orbiting satellite system. 

Inmarsat also plan to extend the coverage of their existing Global Xpress satellite system over the polar region. This will provide communication services to government, defence, aero and maritime commercial customers. 

Whilst their primary focus for their service area is latitudes above 65N, their satellites will also provide intermittent service over parts of the UK. 

Their service will use the Ka-band frequencies 19.7 – 20.2GHz and 29.5 – 30GHz, and whilst Ofcom are consulting on this until the 31st May, they have provisionally approved the request. 

Starlink Satellite Broadband Hire for Events from Geekabit

Did you know about Geekabit’s new service? We can provide your event – Indoor or outdoor – with Starlink satellite broadband hire, even in rural areas. 

If your event is being held in London, Hampshire, Sussex, Dorset or Wiltshire and you’re interested in reliable event internet then get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. 

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Starlink: Latency Improvements on SpaceX Broadband Network

Starlink from Elon Musk’s Space X mega constellation of ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit have revealed the progress they’ve made so far in improving the latency performance. 

Their goal is to deliver a service with a stable 20 millisecond median latency and minimal packet loss. 

Starlink LEO Satellites

At the moment, Starlink have a network of 5,289 LEO satellites. They orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km. 

SpaceX Starlink has approval to expand this number to approximately 7,500 satellites by the end of 2027. 

What is the Cost of Starlink Satellite Broadband? 

For UK customers, costs start at £75 per month. There is an additional cost for the £449 regular home kit which includes a standard dish, router and relevant kit. There is also a shipping fee of £20 on the Standard package. 

By the end of last year, Starlink had a global network of 2.3 million customers (now at 2.6m). 42,000 of those customers were based in the UK (which is up from 13,000 in 2022). Most of these UK customers are based in rural areas. 

Starlink Broadband Speed

The Standard Starlink broadband package promises download speeds of between 25 and 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 5-10 Mbps. It also offers latency times of 25-50 ms. 

What About Latency?

Satellites in a Low Earth Orbit constellation are significantly closer to earth than GEO or GSO platforms. GEO satellites usually sit about 35,000 km away, whereas the LEO satellites, like Starlink, are only 500 km away. 

This means that the signal for Starlink satellites only has to travel a relatively short distance, which is good when it comes to latency. 

What is Latency? 

Network latency is the amount of time it takes for a data packet to go from one place to another e.g. from your laptop or other device to a remote server and then back again.

The delay or time between the data packet going to the server and then back again is measured in milliseconds (1 second is equal to 1000 milliseconds). 

Broadband connections these days will usually have an average latency of between 4 ms to 40 ms.

What can affect latency? 

Latency can depend on many different factors for your individual connection, but in general terms, the faster score for latency (the shortest time) is always best. 

These latency times can be affected, amongst others, by:

  • The performance of remote internet servers
  • The connection technology being used
  • ISP network congestion
  • Routing problems
  • Network setup

Lowering latency is an important part of building a good user experience. Faster latency means:

  • Fast-paced online multiplayer games are smoother
  • Internet actions are more responsive
  • Video calls experience less sync problems
  • And much more!

What are Starlink’s Latency Improvements?

The Starlink satellite broadband network from Space X is slowly delivering improvements in terms of latency. 

The latest update from Starlink claims that users around the world will have meaningfully reduced median and worst case latency. 

Customers in the USA can benefit from a 30% reduction in median latency, going from 48.5ms to 333ms during peak times. 

Worst case latency at peak times has also been reduced from 150ms to 65ms which is a 60% improvement. 

And it’s not just the United States that are enjoying lower latency. Outside the USA, the median latency has been reduced by up to 25% and worst-case latencies have been reduced by up to 35%. 

The stats are below if you want to take a look.

How do they measure Starlink latency?

Starlink’s latency is measured by operator who collect anonymous measurements from millions of Starlink routers every 15 seconds. 

The median and worst-case latencies are calculated using these 15 second average latencies. 

They look at latency across different time periods but focus on performance at peak times.  This tends to be 6-9pm local time to the router, which is when the Starlink network is under the most load and the biggest number of people are connected. 

Starlink’s Latency in 2024

Between January and March this year, monitoring and metrics have been added across the Starlink network in order to measure the latency on every subsystem down to the microsecond. 

Their algorithms are programmed to prefer lower latency pathways, even if the difference is only small, to mitigate and remove as many sources of unnecessary latency as possible, 

Software changes, additional ground infrastructure and the launch of more satellites are all being prioritised in order to continue to improve latency over the coming weeks and months, 

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Will BT EE Boost UK Mobile and Broadband Services with Starlink? 

It has been reported that National telecoms giant BT (EE) has been in talks regarding plans to harness SpaceX’s ultrafast low-latency broadband via their Starlink LEO (low earth orbit) satellite constellation. This could help improve internet as well as mobile connectivity to those in more remote, rural areas.  

Have BT Used Satellite Technology Before?

This isn’t the first time BT has helped deliver digital connectivity by channelling satellite technology. One example is the SaT5G (Satellite and Terrestrial /Network for 5G) project, supporting the development of solutions for integrating a standard commercially available 5G core network into a live satellite network.

BT is also running trials for rural broadband and mobile connectivity in the UK with OneWeb (rivals of Starlink) backed by the government. 

Recent reports revealed that BT is testing the Starlink system at its Adastral Park research centre near Ipswich. This is just one of the ways they are attempting to solve the continuing issue of getting reliable internet to those in hard to reach locations in the most rural, remote parts of the UK. Of course, consumers can already just sign up to Starlink’s satellite broadband service.

What is Starlink?

Here is some basic information if you’re new to everything Starlink satellite broadband. 

Starlink LEO Satellites

At the moment, Starlink have a network of 5,289 LEO satellites. They orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km. 

SpaceX Starlink has approval to expand this number to approximately 7,500 satellites by the end of 2027. 

Cost of Starlink Satellite Broadband

For UK customers costs start at £75 per month. There is an additional cost for the £449 regular home kit which includes a standard dish, router and relevant kit. There is also a shipping fee of £20 on the Standard package. 

Starlink Broadband Speed

The Standard Starlink broadband package promises download speeds of between 25 and 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 5-10 Mbps. It also offers latency times of 25-50 ms. 

Starlink’s New Direct to Cell Mobile Roaming Service

On top of that, Starlink is also in the process of launching its new global Direct to Cell mobile roaming service for use with regular unmodified Smartphones, which would require support from both a mobile network and Ofcom in order to launch in the UK. EE would clearly be a good fit for something like this, given the BT Group’s wider experience in the field. We wrote all about this last week, you can read it here. 

How Many Customers Do Starlink Have in the UK?

1.83% of Starlink’s current customers are based in the UK. Starlink has 2.3 million customers worldwide, with 42,000 of them residing in the UK. This is up from 13,000 UK based customers last year. 

Will BT EE Utilise Starlink Satellite Broadband for Business Customers?

The report that came out last weekend suggests that the current talks going on between BT EE and Starlink are looking at business broadband solutions and providing mobile connectivity to remote sites such as oil rigs out at sea.

It doesn’t look like BT are interested in just reselling Starlink’s broadband product, but instead are looking at it as a viable way to complement their own terrestrial connectivity services. 

When Will Satellite Connectivity Support Broadband and Mobile Services?

As things currently stand, we don’t know when we see satellite connectivity become fully fledged products that can be a viable solution to supporting broadband and mobile connectivity in rural and remote areas. 

The satellite solutions mentioned in this article are currently still in the early Proof of Concept trial stages. Having said that, although there is no guarantee that BT will use Starlink satellite broadband to bolster their broadband and mobile customers in more rural / remote areas, particularly businesses, it’s certainly exciting to know that discussions are taking place that this could be a possible solution in the future. 

Hire Starlink Satellite Broadband with Geekabit

We’ll be keeping a close eye on how this situation develops. 

As a company committed to helping businesses stay connected with reliable broadband – Using traditional methods as well as mobile and satellite options –  we are excited at the prospect of Starlink satellite broadband going further to help businesses in rural areas. 

If you are interested in Satellite broadband as an internet service provider option for your business or event, then get in touch with our Wi-Fi Experts today. We have Starlink satellite broadband kit ready to hire! Contact us here.  

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First 6 LEO Broadband Satellites for Mobile Service Launched by Starlink

The first week of January saw SpaceX launch their first 6 satellites to support their new ‘Direct to Cell’ product. This brings them steps closer to Starlink’s constellation of ultrafast broadband LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites being able to offer a global 4G mobile service.

A Quick Starlink 101

Here is some basic information if you’re new to everything Starlink satellite broadband. 

Starlink LEO Satellites

At the moment, Starlink have a network of 5,289 LEO satellites. They orbit the Earth at an altitude of around 500km. 

SpaceX Starlink has approval to expand this number to approximately 7,500 satellites by the end of 2027. 

Cost of Starlink Satellite Broadband

For UK customers costs start at £75 per month. There is an additional cost for the £449 regular home kit which includes a standard dish, router and relevant kit. There is also a shipping fee of £20 on the Standard package. 

Starlink Broadband Speed

The Standard Starlink broadband package promises download speeds of between 25 and 100 Mbps and upload speeds of 5-10 Mbps. It also offers latency times of 25-50 ms. 

What’s New for SpaceX Starlink Satellite Broadband?

SpaceX Starlink signed agreements back in 2022 enabling them to launch a global space-based 4G mobile network. 

The network will be called Direct to Cell and will connect satellites to unmodified smartphones on the ground. 

How will the Starlink 4G Network work?

The satellites with the capability to connect from space to Smartphones on the ground will have an advanced eNodeB modem onboard. This allows network integration similar to a standard roaming partner, essentially acting like a cellphone tower in space.

Supported by mobile operator T-Mobile, originally the first beta test products were supposed to launch by the end of 2023 in select areas of the USA (for example Hawaii, parts of Alaska, Puerto Rico). With the launch of the first 6 at the beginning of January this year, things are obviously running a little behind. 

These first 6 Direct to Cell capable Starlinks were launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket alongside a batch of 15 other Starlink birds.

The testing phase is expected to eventually involve 840 4G capable satellites, transmitting 4G mobile to roughly 2,000 unmodified Smartphones on the ground. 

According to SpaceX, they plan to launch a basic text service sometime this year, offering SMS, MMS and ‘participating messaging apps’ messaging. 

Voice services (ie. the ability to make calls) and data services (being able to use a slow mobile broadband connection) is due to follow sometime next year (2025). 2025 will also hopefully see the ability to connect to Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Will we be able to use Starlink 4G mobile in the UK?

Unfortunately at this stage, Starlink doesn’t have supporting access agreements for these services with any cellular providers in the UK. We are one of a few countries with cellular providers yet to support Starlink 4G mobile. 

Hopefully we will know soon who it’s likely to be! Both Vodafone and EE (BT) have experience with satellite solutions (they are testing rival systems!) so they may be the ones to watch. 

Who Are Starlink’s Current Global Direct to Cell Partners?

Providers who are ready to support Starlink 4G mobile in some countries are:


T-Mobile (USA)
Optus (Australia)
Rogers (Canada)
One NZ (New Zealand)
KDDI (Japan)
Salt (Switzerland)
ENTEL (CHILE)
Entel (PERU)

Can Starlink 4G Mobile Compete With Our Current 4G Mobile Broadband Offering?

At this stage, not really. Elon Musk has himself said that these first Direct to CEll capable Starlink satellites can only support data speeds of  “~7Mb per beam and the beams are very big, so while this is a great solution for locations with no cellular connectivity, it is not meaningfully competitive with existing terrestrial cellular networks.”

In other words, Starlink 4G Mobile services will be beneficial to those in rural areas that struggle with more traditional forms of broadband connectivity and 4G cellular networks, but not to those already reliably using 4G networks. 

For those that want the tech bit – Information shared last year on the subject detailed that the Direct to Cell system will be able to provide “theoretical peak speeds of up to either” 3Mbps or 7.2Mbps peak upload (Earth-to-Space) over 1.4MHz or 5MHz bandwidth channels per beam, respectively, and up to either 4.4Mbps or 18.3Mbps on the downlink (Space-to-Earth) over the same bandwidth channels per beam using LTE (4G) technology.

It’s also worth remembering that we don’t yet know the costs of this type of global roaming. To compete with traditional roaming services, it’s going to need to be a competitive cost. Although, those who struggle to get any connection at all where they’re based may be willing to pay a bit more if it means getting a reliable connection. 

What Potential Issues Might Starlink 4G Mobile Be Facing? 

SpaceX are already facing some challenges in the USA. There are concerns about spectrum interference, particularly from AT&T (formerly known as the American Telephone and Telegram Company) who are also in the testing stages of a rival solution AST SpaceMobile and Omnispace who are also combining mobile roaming with the scope of satellite for a global 5G network. 

There are likely to be similar disputes in other markets too, seeing as the Starlink 4G network needs reciprocal access and spectrum agreements with mobile operators. They will also need support from regulators and ground stations across the world. 

Starlink 4G Mobile via satellites from SpaceX is certainly an intriguing development and we’re keen to see how this plays out throughout 2023 and beyond. Let’s watch this space! 

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Geekabit’s Top 10 Blogs of 2023

2023 is coming to a close – And we know the new year 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. Much of what we write about is influenced by the enquiries and questions that our customers and clients ask our Wi-Fi Experts across Winchester, London and Cardiff. This year we’ve seen an increase in demand for 4G/5G broadband and Starlink Satellite broadband options, particularly for homes and businesses in rural areas.

We thought we would take a look back on the last year and see what blogs were most popular with you – Our readers!

In at Number 10, this blog had people wondering whether scientists could watch we are doing through walls!

Can Scientists Use Wi-Fi to Watch Us Through Walls? 
#10

Number 9 was all about finally getting 5G on the London Underground so you can stay connected whilst travelling around the capital.

London Underground: 5G Deployed by Virgin Media O2 UK 
#9

With Ubiquiti UniFi devices increasing in popularity, it’s no surprise that this fault finding blog about flashing lights on access points made it in at number 8.

Why Are My Ubiquiti UniFi Access Points Flashing?
#8

Here at Geekabit, we’ve talked a lot about how impactful broadband can be for rural businesses. This blog about unreliable broadband for rural businesses came in at number 7.

Small Rural UK Businesses Damaged by Unreliable Broadband
#7

It seems you all want to know how to choose and install a 4G and 5G mobile broadband antenna, as this blog telling you how narrowly missed being in our top 5 blogs of the year.

How To Choose and Install an External 4G or 5G Mobile Broadband Antenna
#6

Kicking us off in the top 5 was where best to place your router for successful results.

‘Where is the best place to put my Wi-Fi router?’
#5

Taking the 4th spot was a look into 2023 and what it had in store for us in the world of Wi-Fi.

2023 and Beyond: Wi-Fi Alliance Says All Roads Lead to Wi-Fi 
#4

In 3rd place was another blog on 4G and 5G mobile broadband, answering all your frequently asked questions.

4G and 5G Mobile Broadband Antennas: Frequently Asked Questions
#3

Narrowly missing the top spot, this blog about discounted Starlink Satellite Ultrafast Broadband here in the UK was one of your most popular reads this year.

Discounted Starlink Satellite Ultrafast Broadband for UK Customers
#2

And taking the top spot for most read Geekabit blog of 2023 was this one about the rise of UK Starlink broadband speeds.

UK Starlink Broadband Speeds Rise
#1

So it seems our readers were most looking for information on Starlink Satellite broadband and 4G/5G mobile broadband options. Does that mean that consumers and business broadband customers are interested in alternative Wi-Fi options for their homes and businesses?

We’re looking forward to what 2024 will bring in the tech world and seeing how that impacts all things Wi-Fi and staying well connected.

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New Dish and Router for Satellite Broadband Service Launched from Starlink

Back in March 2021, we first wrote about Starlink and what it was all about (you can read that original blog here). Now, we’re writing about the next development in all things Starlink with a third-generation in terminal hardware for us in homes. This global constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband satellites from SpaceX will see it’s latest generation of hardware offering better durability for customers on standard plans and higher performance in terms of speed.

What is Starlink Satellite Broadband?

If you skipped the link above to our original blog, then here are the main things to know about Starlink. 

The Starlink network is currently made up of approximately 5,077 LEO satellites, with plans to add around 7,500 more by the end of 2027. 

How much does Starlink satellite broadband cost?

The regular home kit costs £449 plus £20 shipping fee, consisting of the standard dish, router etc. UK customers then pay £75 per month.

How fast is Starlink satellite broadband?

On the standard package, you could expect:

  • Fast latency times of 25-50ms
  • Circa 25-100 Mbps download speeds
  • Circa 5-10 Mbps upload speeds

Currently, only new customers opting for the standard residential plan will be able to get this new third-generation kit. 

GEN3 Starlink Terminal Hardware – What’s New?

Last week, Starlink updated their website with this new third-generation terminal equipment including dish, router and the other bits needed to get you online. Not only are these GEN3 items cheaper to manufacture, they are also touted as providing better performance for new customers. 

So what are the improvements with the new Starlink hardware? 

Dish:

  • The new dish is bigger, also coming with an improved environmental protection rating of IP67 (up from IP54)
  • It comes with a wider field of view (110° up from 100°)
  • The antenna (or dish)  has a default configuration with a simple manually oriented kickstand where it can receive a signal just by facing the sky without obstruction (instead of automatic motorised rotation)

Router:

  • Wi-Fi 6 support is now included with the new router (improved from Wi-Fi 5) (although it’s worth noting that only support for WPA2 encryption is listed, instead of the usual WPA3 you tend to find with Wi-Fi 6 kit)
  • It is now a tri-band device (instead of dual band)
  • The router has 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports (instead of an adapter)
  • It has improved durability with water resistance rating of IP56 (up from IP54)

Are there any disadvantages with the new Starlink hardware?

After we’ve talked about all the pros, there are a few things to note with the new hardware that might be considered cons. 

  • The new third-generation router is not compatible with mesh systems that are not their own which means you need to use their second- and third-generation mesh nodes.
  • The power consumption of the new dish has increased from 50-75W to 75-100W, which could impact your electricity bill. (As a comparison, one standard router tends to use between 7 and 15 watts on a fixed line broadband connection. 

For full details of the new Starlink Kit Specifications, head to their website. 

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Client Highlight: Starlink Satellite Broadband Hire for Winchester Bonfire and Fireworks

Our November started with a bang, getting muddy working as technical support to Winchester’s largest one-day annual charity event, Winchester Round Table’s Bonfire and Fireworks. Geekabit’s CEO has been heavily involved with this event for many years, volunteering time and expertise. 

This year we joined the team of volunteers to lend them our Wi-Fi expertise to help make the event a success through seamless connectivity and reliable broadband across an external network.

This event regularly raises in excess of £60K – A phenomenal community effort, and one that everyone involved should be immensely proud of. There are so many great causes and vital work that this money will go towards in the local community of Winchester and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have volunteered our time and expertise to be a small part of that.

Why does a bonfire and fireworks event need a wireless internet connection?

You might be thinking; what does a Bonfire and Firework event need Wi-Fi for anyway? Well, this is no ordinary bonfire and fireworks night. Every year, Winchester Round Table hosts around 20,000 people for an evening of entertainment, food, drinks, and of course the legendary bonfire and fireworks spectacular.

An event of this scale calls for reliable connectivity, and that’s where Geekabit came in. We have a wealth of experience and expertise in the area of remote internet and events, and so we were more than happy to volunteer to this great cause.

Starlink Satellite Internet for Events

20,000 people can place a great strain on the local cellular mobile towers, and so we turned to a more modern, low orbit satellite solution that would sidestep these issues.

We installed a temporary network across the main fireworks site, using Starlink satellite internet as our connectivity backhaul.

Event Wi-Fi Network – Ubiquiti

Using a variety of Ubiquiti point-to-point links, we spread the network out across the important parts of the fields, and used several outdoor grade wireless access point solutions from the Ubiquiti UniFi range in order to reach the retailers on-site.

This meant that the Starlink internet we provided could reliably aid the event control room on the night as well as help run the operations and production areas.

Food Traders Payments through Starlink Internet

It even provided connectivity for the on-site food festival traders so they could power their payment terminals when mobile reception would be very minimal, ensuring smooth and fast transactions.

Ticket Booth Internet Connectivity for Events

The event also offers ticket pick-up on the day from temporary event Ticket Booths based in two outside locations in the city centre. Due to the volume of people that need to pick-up tickets, it’s not possible to borrow a building or utilise a shop as the crowds and the queue would be too big.

This therefore makes it necessary for the booth to be in a location that will cause as little disruption as possible. Due to the outside location of the ticket booth, and the nature of the service it is providing, it’s necessary for there to be a reliable internet connection. 

Geekabit made this possible using two Starlink Satellite Broadband temporary event installations, which enabled solid laptop, tablet and mobile access to live spreadsheets, order information, customer service emails and social messages throughout the day of the event.

Starlink Satellite Broadband Provides Vital Connectivity for Outdoor Events

A reliable internet connection throughout the day of this event was vital for production purposes and the smooth running of critical processes, which Starlink Satellite Broadband provided.

Working with Winchester Round Table Bonfire and Fireworks was a privilege and a pleasure. Year on year there are more things that require a wireless connection to ensure the smooth running of an event, and we hope to be on hand again in the future to help this to happen.

For more information on our Event W-Fi services get in touch with one of our Wi-Fi experts and we can show you how we can help make your event a success.

Get in touch here.

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Small Rural UK Businesses Damaged by Unreliable Broadband

The Federation of Small Businesses recently published a report highlighting how rural businesses are struggling with the ‘cost of doing business crisis.’ Not only are these rural businesses facing growing energy costs and problematic transport links, but they are also being hit with unreliable broadband. 

Could your business function without reliable broadband? 

Think of all the ways your business, whatever the industry, depends on a strong internet connection. How much disruption would unreliable broadband cause to your business? Effective internet access has become as vital as other utilities to businesses and homes – Yet businesses run from a rural area don’t appear to have a connection they can rely on. 

The report highlighted a range of issues these small rural businesses are facing, but here at Geekabit our focus is always on connectivity. This report illustrates that for small rural businesses:

  • Almost a third (32%) report issues with the reliability of their broadband (in comparison to 17% of urban businesses).
  • Twice as many rural businesses reported that unreliable broadband has affected their ability to contact customers (14% vs. 6%), reduced the competitiveness of their business (11% vs. 5%), and led to a loss of business or sales (10% vs. 5%).
  • Only 58 per cent of rural small businesses state that the speed of their broadband is sufficient for their current and future business needs.
  • 43 per cent of rural-based businesses have not yet changed their transport habits because of the insufficient local infrastructure to support electric vehicles (e.g. charge points).

Small rural businesses have a lot to offer their communities and industries. They shouldn’t have to face a loss of sales because of unreliable broadband. 

What Can Be Done for Small Rural Businesses With Unreliable Broadband?

There are a few different recommendations from the FSB to help tackle the negative impact of poor broadband connections on small rural businesses.

Update the Government USO

One recommendation from the FSB for tackling the issue of unreliable broadband in rural businesses would be for the government to update their current USO (Universal Service Obligation) minimum requirements for both upload and download speeds.

The current minimum requirements in the governments USO is 10 Mbps download speeds and 1 Mbps upload speed. The FSB doesn’t specify in their report what the updated speeds should be, but with the average download speed being approximately 79.1 Mbps we would think the USO needs to be higher than the 10 Mbps download speed deemed to be decent enough. Indeed, the European Union has plans for the universal download speed to be 100 Mbps by 2025. 

UK law states that every home and business has the right to a decent, affordable broadband connection, which is currently the 10 Mbps stated in the USO at a price of no more than £48.50 per month. 

But is that 10 Mbps download speed enough for a small rural business to function? Of course, it does depend somewhat on what type of business it is. A small boutique shop that only sells to customers in person might not need as high a connection as a photography and video editing business. 

Unfortunately, that USO hasn’t even managed to reach every UK location. There are tens of thousands of premises still unable to access download speeds of 10 Mbps due to their remote location – Largely due to the costs involved to create the necessary infrastructure. These places find themselves unable to connect to fixed line or fixed wireless services, whilst also being out of reach of suitable 4G/5G coverage. Making the necessary upgrades to these areas could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds if not into the millions. 

For this reason, just raising the minimum download speed in the USO isn’t going to be a magic fix for all rural businesses struggling with ineffective broadband. The infrastructure needed to really make a difference will take time and money to implement. Remember that this is also funded by the industry itself – Currently ISP’s BT and KCOM – Who have already committed to big legal and financial responsibilities by supporting the government’s USO scheme. 

At the end of the day, every business, including small rural businesses, deserve – And have the legal right to – decent broadband. And perhaps the USO figure of 10 Mbps isn’t cutting it now that we are doing business in a more connected world. A ‘decent’ broadband connection needs to reflect the individual needs and digital demands of individual businesses. Amongst other things, businesses need a strong connection to:

  • Communicate with customers – Online presence is essential in this day and age
  • Take online and mobile payments – Very few people pay using cash, and more customers are opting to pay via their smartphones
  • Send and receive large amounts of data 
  • Utilise E-commerce websites and ordering
  • Transmit orders to warehousing 
  • Connect via video conferencing

Project Gigabit Budget

The government has been trying to shrink the gap between the USO minimum speeds and the average internet speeds enjoyed in other areas with their Project Gigabit rollout. 

This aims to provide nationwide coverage by 2030 (nationwide meaning around 99%). 

The FSB recommends that the DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) should take a proportion of the remaining budget allocated to Project Gigabit and use this to help those in hard to reach areas to connect to superfast broadband. 

LEO Satellite Broadband

Let’s not forget the possibility of LEO based satellite broadband like Starlink also being used to help those in particularly problematic areas. 

With more launches planned, this satellite network is only going to grow and could potentially help rural business (and homes) connect to more reliable internet.

The Shared Rural Network

There is also the Shared Rural Network scheme which is putting £1 billion into expanding 4G coverage. The FSB recommends that the DSIT ensures that the target of 95% of the UK having 4G coverage by 2025 is met. 

As part of the Shared Rural Network, our Wi-Fi experts here at Geekabit are helping to implement a rural 4G broadband scheme in West Sussex. 

Through this scheme, West Sussex businesses that are currently suffering from the slowest broadband speeds (10 Mbps or slower) are being supported to get online with an alternative 4G mobile broadband solution.

This 4G solution on offer to the county’s businesses uses 4G mobile data to connect their business premises to the internet in the same way that a smartphone sends and receives information. The solution uses a single, professionally mounted external antenna which is installed at the qualifying property. The external antenna can deliver a 4G signal directly into a newly supplied router, which then projects the connectivity in the form of Wi-Fi around the property, in the same way that conventional broadband works.

This investment in digital structure is part of the council’s plan to support a sustainable and prosperous economy, and businesses are already seeing huge benefits from using mobile connectivity. 

Get in Touch

If you own a rural business and are struggling with broadband connectivity then get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. Our professional engineers in Hampshire can advise whether 4G mobile broadband or Starlink Satellite broadband could help your business.

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