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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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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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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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