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Broadband Business Wi-Fi OneWeb Satellite Broadband Satellite Internet SpaceX Starlink
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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Access Points AP Aruba Hardware Wi-Fi
Ruckus vs Aruba Wi-Fi

Which AP is best for your network – Ruckus or Aruba? 

With a wireless market saturated by Access Points and other Wi-Fi hardware, we don’t blame you for wondering which one would be best matched to your network. 

Generally, going for quality is a good place to start if you want your network to function well. There are of course many quality brands manufacturing Access Points, but for the purpose of this article we’re going to take a look at Ruckus and Aruba. Both of these brands have advantages and disadvantages – It’s just a case of comparing these characteristics with your network requirements and determining which would be the best match 

What are the main functions of and differences between Ruckus and Aruba?

Ruckus

Let’s start with Ruckus. Ruckus is developed for high density indoor environments, with Access Points that offer dual band Wi-Fi (meaning they can support both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands). Ruckus AP’s also have MU-MIMO (multiple user MIMO) capability, meaning they can transmit data to multiple devices simultaneously.

Network Management Options

Ruckus network environments can be managed by on-site or remote controllers for hardware, cloud, virtual, clustered or standalone. 

Network Security

Ruckus AP’s have Dynamic PSK™ Encryption KEy tEchnology. Dynamic pre-Shared Key (pSK) is a patented technology developed to provide robust and secure wireless access while eliminating the arduous task of manual configuration of end devices and the tedious management of encryption keys. You can read more about this on the Ruckus Networks data sheet here. 

Ruckus AP’s also support BYOD technology which is now prevalent across business networks (Bring Your Own Device – when employees use their own personal devices to connect to the organisation’s network and access what they need to do their jobs). 

Network Performance

Ruckus’ patent-pending SmartCast technology combines innovative multicast traffic handling techniques, smart QoS, and application-aware traffic classification capabilities, for top-quality Wi-Fi video transmissions for things like surveillance.

Ruckus also utilises BeamFlex, a combination of multiple high-gain polarized antenna elements and patented software algorithms that are combined in real time to offer an exponential increase in performance. 

Aruba

Aruba is developed for high density environments, with Access Points that offer dual band Wi-Fi (meaning they can support both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands like Ruckus). Aruba AP’s also have MU-MIMO (multiple user MIMO) capability, meaning they can also transmit data to multiple devices simultaneously.

Network Management Options

Aruba network environments can be managed via Cloud, Local or on-premises. 

Network Security

Aruba has the standard network security functions that can be expected for Wi-Fi hardware, such as VPN, Firewall, Unlimited intrusion prevention etc. 

Network Performance

Aruba uses Beam forming technology, With beamforming, the access point knows where a Wi-Fi device is located and sends the Wi-Fi signal specifically in that direction. The function thus provides fast, strong Wi-Fi signals and great coverage for each device.

Ruckus vs. Aruba – Let’s Compare

So now we know the general functions of both Ruckus and Aruba AP’s, let’s specifically look at how they compare to each other. 

Ruckus vs Aruba – Network Performance

Winner: Ruckus

In terms of Access Points, Ruckus Access Points have better optimal performance and higher network efficiency than that of Aruba. 

The reason for this lies in the AP’s Radio Frequency Technology. As mentioned above, Ruckus AP’s use BeamFlex technology. Standard Beamforming in 802.11ac (like what Aruba uses) is a radio based technology. BeamFlex is an antenna based technology that engages adaptive antennas. The difference between the two is that Ruckus uses beamforming (which is radio based) and combines it with adaptive antennas (BeamFlex which is antenna based) which therefore maximises the performance of the AP. 

Performance is optimised by increasing radio capacity and reducing co-channel interference which leads to the enjoyment of a seamless network. Not only that, but Ruckus can transmit IPTV (internet protocol television) for your multimedia applications. 

Ordinarily, Ruckus performs client load balancing, and it is equipped with airtime fairness to promote Wi-Fi to your slow device. In addition, it also has smart support for apps and frequency band control, allowing your dual-band device to connect to the 5 GHz frequency band to improve network efficiency. 

In comparison, Aruba uses traditional beamforming technology. This enables the AP to concentrate the signal on your device, which also provides a stable network.  

Ruckus vs Aruba – Network Security

Winner: Aruba

When it comes to a more secure network, Aruba has the edge over Ruckus.  

Aruba’s security protocol has been standardised through 802.11 I (IEEE 802.11i-2004, or 802.11i for short, is an amendment to the original IEEE 802.11, implemented as Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2). It also provides a strong firewall in the Aruba mobile controller. 

Ruckus also has its good points when it comes to network security. Ruckus offers BYOD technology and DPSK patented technology (as explained above), which work together to ensure that your network has a subtle level of security.

Ruckus vs Aruba – Overall

Ruckus’ innovative and personalised antenna ray is used to extend the signal range and increase client data for  wireless video, voice and data technology. This eliminates Wi-Fi interference and ensure a reliable and strong Wi-Fi network for your smart Wi-Fi devices. 

You can find Ruckus AP’s on their website here. 

All of Aruba access points use AI-driven radio frequency optimization, intelligent management, dynamic segmentation, and intelligent operation of a wealth of users and applications. In addition, they have been optimised to support IoT devices running Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and other third-party protocols.

You can find Aruba’s AC’s on their website here. 

So which is best for your network – Ruckus or Aruba? 

As we’ve outlined in this article, you can find unique features in both Ruckus and Aruba hardware that help to optimise performance. 

Both Ruckus and Aruba have unique features used for optimal performance. Overall, it would seem however that Ruckus can provide you with a more stable and faster network than Aruba. Ruckus maintains performance in high-density environments and offers patented technology to increase network performance.

Don’t forget that it comes down to your own network requirements as to which one you should go for. If you’re not sure, then reach out to the experts! 

Geekabit Wi-Fi Experts

Our expert Wi-Fi engineers are on hand to survey, design and deploy a Wi-Fi network to meet your business needs. 

Get in touch with our friendly team today here. 

by admin
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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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Aruba Business Wi-Fi Wi-Fi WLAN
Could Your Work-From-Anywhere Team Benefit from Aruba Wireless Hardware?

When it comes to wireless products, you’ll find it hard to beat Aruba with their comprehensive portfolio. But what is it about Aruba that’s ranking higher than even the likes of CISCO and other reputable wireless manufacturers on the market? With its advanced capabilities and ease of use, Aruba is dominating the wireless industry.

If you’re in charge of IT infrastructure for your organisation then we’d be surprised if you weren’t considering Aruba for your connectivity solutions. 

It’s a wireless world

We live in a wireless world. It doesn’t matter how small or large your business is or what industry sector you’re a part of – healthcare, financial, commercial – Nowadays we’re not restricted by physical boundaries in many jobs. As an organisation, it’s highly likely you need to provide your employees with the ability to access your network from any given device at any time. All whilst making sure your network is secure, that data is kept private and transfer speeds are quick. That’s no small order! But that’s the way business runs in this wireless world – Everyone expects wireless access anywhere and everywhere they go. 

Aruba offers an innovative wireless solution

The tech industry is synonymous with fast paced developments – People are always looking for the next best thing. Quicker, smaller, more powerful. But actually when it comes to networking, there’s been relatively little movement when it comes to innovation and technological advancements.

Enter Aruba and their wireless solution. Packed with innovation, with ways of handling:

  • Volumes
  • Reliability
  • Security
  • Scalability
  • Ease of management

Not only that, but it’s also backed up with expert support. We know what you’re thinking – That sounds like an IT team’s dream! 

How does Aruba compare with CISCO?

We mentioned CISCO briefly earlier and how industry experts are ranking elements of Aruba’s wireless offering higher than that of CISCO. 

Recent reviews via PeerSpot have rated Aruba as 4.0 out of 5 which is one of the highest in its field. This could be due to the fact it offers users a simple interface that they can easily interact with, not to mention their laser focus on wireless technology in general. 

Reviews overall seem to be showing that Aruba offers the same capabilities as CISCO, but at a lower cost. 

These wireless rivals are often pitted against one another as their solutions have very similar capabilities. 

Both Aruba and CISCO offer:

  • Solutions with user friendly set-up and configuration
  • 24/7 customer support options
  • Similar price points (with Aruba being slightly less expensive)

The main differences between the two come down to specific features and backend visibility for alert management. 

You may think that CISCO would have the edge as a well-known, reputable brand, but Aruba seems to rapidly be catching up in popularity. Their focus on wireless features that they’re bringing to the market is going down well with customers. 

Aruba customers believe they offer the best, most cost-effective wireless solution on the market. In addition to that, notable features seem to be:

  • A platform that provides the foundation for multiple levels of security 
  • Secure access for guests and IoT devices
  • Wayfinding
  • Location-based notifications
  • App consolidation
  • Asset tracking

Why is Aruba wireless rapidly growing in popularity? 

Let’s look at some in-depth reasons why Aruba is proving a popular choice among wireless customers. 

Aruba Puts Customers First

Aruba’s vice president of Portfolio Marketing, Lissa Hollinger says, “One of Aruba’s guiding principles is ‘customer first, customer last’.” 

Aruba are heavily customer centred when it comes to their ethos and approach to business. The root of product development focuses on solving the problems of their customers. They also offer lifetime warranty on some of their many products, as well as free on-call support. 

They even have an interactive, peer to peer community of Aruba users called Airheads Social, dedicated to sharing information and promoting technical discussions.

Aruba has Integrated Security with 360 Secure Fabric

IT networks are full of end users who constantly pop in and out on varying devices (not to mention IoT and cloud options). Unfortunately a mere firewall isn’t sufficient for protecting the perimeter on today’s network environments. This means a radical shift when it comes to network security. The key is integration. Aruba’s 360 Secure Fabric protects across all points in any environment – A real game changer.  

What are the components of Aruba’s 360 Secure Fabric?:

Aruba IntroSpect User and Entity Behavioral Analysis (UEBA) 

  • Provides visibility, monitoring, and attack detection. 
  • Automates threat detection and analysis by providing a consolidated view of security activities in a list format, prioritised using a 0 to 100 risk score. 
  • This type of insight allows IT leaders to review information and make decisions quickly, without using time and resources to collect activity information and evaluate its potential risk.

Aruba ClearPass 

  • Handles authentication through its network access control (NAC) and policy management solution
  • Syncs up with UEBA to automate threat responses
  • Aruba ClearPass is key to the Bring-Your-Own-Device culture many businesses operate within today by simplifying the creation of a safe connection to personal devices with customised access control to identify, enforce, and protect access privileges, regardless of the user’s location

Security is at the forefront of Aruba’s wireless design with IntroSpect and ClearPass working together.

Guest Access Control is Strong and Scalable with Aruba 

One of the top requirements of wireless infrastructure is guest access – Think customers and contractors. Organisations can combine enterprise-grade security and automated registration with Aruba ClearPass Guest, giving visitors secure access to your wired and wireless networks. 

ClearPass also detects anomalies and, if possible, deals with them automatically whilst creating alerts and making you aware of any breaches. 

This allows you to expand your user experience, without the risk of a multi-month breach to go undetected. 

Security Across Devices

There are currently over 15 billion IoT devices. Any connected devices have the potential to become an entry point for a breach. This is when ClearPass becomes integral to IoT devices, providing maximum protection through 4 categories of defence:

  • Visibility is created with orchestrated discovery
  • Access privileges must conform to context-based rules
  • Enforcement is enterprise-wide across wired, Wi-Fi, and VPN
  • Automated end-to-end workflows ensure situationally-aware security

AP’s and Remote Access Points (RAPs) from Aruba 

For small and medium sized businesses, Aruba Access Points expand Wi-Fi coverage and enable enterprise level networking at a manageable cost. 

The user experience is enhanced through Aruba Instant On Access Points by strengthening Wi-Fi coverage and increasing the number of devices a network can support at once. 

Aruba’s Remote Access Points (RAPs) take this a step further and allow your work-from-anywhere team to continue to work without issue. Employees can connect to your secure wireless network, regardless of their location or device with Aruba RAPs. The prevalence of remote working might have sharply increased over Covid, but having proved that many employees can indeed get the work done from almost anywhere, it’s extremely useful to be able to give verified users appropriate access and a reliable connection no matter where they are working from. 

Aruba Airwave Provides Integrated Network Management 

Multi vendor environments can benefit from integrated IT operations management tools through Aruba Airwave.  You can mange wired and wireless networks with its unified network management, with step-by-step workflows and streamlined automation capabilities. It also provides granular visibility into devices, users, and applications on the network. Aruba Airwave offers real-time monitoring and control, with detailed health and analytics dashboards.

Edge Services Platform from Aruba Gives Scalability and Security 

Aruba Edge Services Platform (ESP):

  • Identifies issues at network edges
  • Uses AI to resolve many issues before they become problems 
  • Introduces next-level networking, letting internal teams focus their attention elsewhere while enhancing network security
  • Secures the network edge to provide a highly scalable cloud-native platform

End User Satisfaction with Wayfinding and Asset Tracking

There is some serious scope for what these capabilities could offer your business. 

Aruba wayfinding includes the foundation to build location-based services on top of the network infrastructure. Aruba Meridian is a cloud-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution featuring wayfinding, proximity-based notifications, and digital asset tracking, giving you the ability to evolve the service you offer. 

Picture the likes of university campuses, stadiums, airports, warehouses, retail etc – All sorts of new services could be customised for these places with this flexible platform’s tools. 

The ability to track assets (for example, shipments) can save your business both time and money as well as increasing productivity. 

How could these capabilities benefit your business?

Accommodate Any Need with Breadth and Functionality

Aruba Networks, now known as HPE Aruba Networking, is a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise. This means you don’t just get the security and networking range of products and IT solutions, but also other products for which HPE is known, including WLAN, routers and switches. These are often high-quality and lower priced. 

You’ll likely find a complete, end-to-end package to fit your business needs – Who doesn’t love a one-stop-shop?

Could Aruba Wireless Hardware Benefit Your Business?

This list is not exhaustive – There are many other reasons why Aruba is leading in the wireless industry. If you’re intrigued by what Aruba offers and want to see how your business could benefit from the capabilities offered, then get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. Our professional wireless engineers can help ascertain how Aruba can help you meet your wireless connectivity goals. Give us a call or drop us an email and let’s get started. 

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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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Fast Wi-Fi Hire for Events with Starlink

Here at Geekabit we’ve been very busy behind the scenes recently, working at a number of high profile events testing out our new Wi-Fi hire service. 

Our test events included supporting policing events in London, hybrid meetings, rural wedding fairs and a fireworks fundraising event. 

Following the successful deployment of our Wi-Fi hire offering at these events, we are very pleased to announce the launch of our new Wi-Fi Hire for Events, powered by Starlink. 

Are you looking for Wi-Fi hire for your next event?

If you’re looking to hire Starlink Internet for your next event, we can provide a managed expert service.

Have you been let down before by traditional internet suppliers? Our expertly managed Wi-Fi hire service will allow you to have a fast, stable and speedy Wi-Fi network in areas that other suppliers have previously struggled. 

Our Starlink event kit for Wi-Fi hire can be deployed very quickly for even the most last-minute of events, especially helpful in situations where you’ve been let down by another provider. 

Our fleet of Starlink routers and dishes are available to support any event where resilient and fast internet needs to be deployed at short notice.

Whatever the event, wherever it is*

Perhaps you’re running a hybrid Zoom meeting in a rural area, a festival with hundreds of traders requiring card payments, or running an event requiring media Wi-Fi facilities.

Whatever the event and no matter how rural, here at Geekabit our expert Wi-Fi engineers can build you the perfect temporary Wi-Fi network “in the field” for whatever you need the internet for.

This could be for a one-day event, or for an event running over several weeks.

Whilst it is perfect for areas where there is little mobile data connectivity, we can also provide backup 4G/5G service for resiliency and the perfect connection.

Improve reliability with back-haul solutions

You might be thinking that you’ve got pretty good Wi-Fi at your venue most of the time, but even if you have the perfect network and Wi-Fi setup, sometimes a specific event needs multiple back-haul solutions to improve the reliability of the connectivity. Starlink satellite broadband deployed by Geekabit would be the perfect solution.

Starlink Hire from Geekabit

We are thrilled to launch this new Wi-Fi Hire for Events service, powered by Starlink and deployed by Geekabit Wi-Fi engineers. 

*We will happily quote for Starlink Hire in London, Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Sussex and the Isle of Wight.

We’re excited to see what this new Wi-Fi hire service can do for our clients. Get in touch today if you’re interested in hiring Starlink and securing reliable Wi-Fi for your next event. 

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Confusing UK Broadband Terminology Found By ‘4th Utility’ Survey

Internet Service Provider 4th Utility published results of a new survey last month, reporting that among the 2000 respondents there was a major lack of understanding of vital broadband terms amongst consumers. 

4th Utility is an ISP who is currently in the midst of deploying a gigabit speed FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) network to large residential buildings and UK homes. Despite the fact that the term ‘full fibre’ is widely used and that the service is ‘being used by most UK households’, surprisingly their recent ‘Great British Broadband Survey’ found that just 1 in 5 residents actually know what that means. 

What Does ‘Full Fibre’ Broadband Mean?

Just in case you’re one of the 1 in 5 who aren’t sure what full fibre broadband refers to, full fibre broadband means that your home is directly connected to the exchange using fibre optic cables. 

Standard fibre cables are connected to your home via a street cabinet (so fibre cables from the exchange to the street cabinet and then different cables from the street cabinet to your home). This service uses older copper cables to connect to your home, which are an older technology and less reliable than fibre cables.  

28% Have Adopted Full Fibre Network, Ofcom Says

Whilst 4th Utility claims that full fibre is ‘already being used by most households,’ Ofcom says differently. 

Full fibre might be available to most UK households, but not all those who are able to adopt the service have done so. According to Ofcom, only 28% of households able to get a full fibre network have adopted the service. 

Coverage is not the same as take up! 

Is Broadband Baffling?

Despite the slight confusion about full fibre coverage and take up, the fact remains that many consumers are bewildered about broadband terms.

Some respondents said they still weren’t sure what full fibre meant, even after they had had it explained to them. 20% of the 2000 people surveyed said they weren’t sure whether they had the service in their home after having it explained to them, 25% said they didn’t have it and the remaining 45% said they did have full fibre in their home. 

Let’s run through some of the other terms that the respondents found confusing, as well as their meanings.

What is Bandwidth?

Only 9% of the respondents knew what bandwidth means. Network bandwidth is a measurement indicating the maximum capacity of a wired or wireless communications link to transmit data over a network connection. 

Bandwidth specifically refers to the capacity at which a network can transmit data. For example, if the bandwidth of a network is 60 Mbps, it implies that the network cannot transmit data faster than 60 Mbps in any given case.

What does FTTP mean?

FTTP stands for fibre to the premises and is a type of fibre optic broadband. FTTP is supplied by fibre optic cables from your local internet exchange — a physical location where network providers transmit internet data — directly to your business’s premises.

What is meant by ‘Superfast’ broadband?

Superfast broadband is a broad category of speeds, running from 30Mbps to 100Mbps. The faster your broadband speed, the faster you can download files, movies and games.

Superfast speeds usually reach homes via a part-fibre broadband connection, which uses fibre-optic cables up until the local street cabinet, and then copper phone lines for the final leg of the journey to your home.

Some form of superfast broadband is available to 97% of the UK from the majority of internet service providers, and in many cases is actually more affordable than slower, old-fashioned ADSL connections, especially if you happen to be out of contract on an ADSL package.

Some full fibre deals will offer superfast speeds too, but they come with the capability to boost your speed much further – all the way up to 1Gbps.

What is ‘Ultrafast’ internet?

Ultrafast broadband is generally considered any broadband connection that supplies 100Mbps or faster.

The telecoms regulator Ofcom defines ultrafast as “broadband which offers download speeds of at least 300 Mbps”. However, some providers that use the ultrafast broadband term don’t offer those speeds.

Several broadband providers use the term ‘ultrafast broadband’ to refer to their top-end broadband packages. However, providers use different technologies to deliver their broadband services to your home, and as a result the speeds they can offer also differ significantly.

It can sound confusing, but the general rule of thumb is, that if a provider is labelling a package as ultrafast broadband, it’s one of the fastest packages they provide. 

The fastest broadband you can get might not necessarily be the fastest broadband available on the market. It might not even be the fastest broadband your next-door neighbour can get. If you’re not sure what types of broadband are available where you live, you can check to see what the fastest broadband in your area is with the Uswitch postcode checker.

What does Internet of Things mean?

Just 8% of the people surveyed knew what Internet of Things (IoT) meant. The term IoT, or Internet of Things, refers to the collective network of connected devices and the technology that facilitates communication between devices and the cloud, as well as between the devices themselves.

Key Findings of 4th Utility ‘Great British Broadband Survey’

Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting findings from 4th Utility’s recent survey. 

What utility nightmare do Brits fear the most? 

  • 30% feared a boiler breakdown as the biggest utility nightmare
  • 23% were worried about a water leak
  • 13% were concerned about a total blackout causing utility problems
  • 12% of those surveyed considered a broadband outage as a utility nightmare

Slow internet causing household arguments

20% of respondents reported having slow internet at least 3 times per month, and 1 in 3 said it happened twice a month. Over half of those surveyed (51%) said that slow Wi-Fi caused heated arguments in their household, happening to 3 in 10 people a few times a month, or more. 

Over 50% of those surveyed said that they have broadband speed issues, with 14% of those saying it was a weekly occurrence. However, the root cause of those speed issues seemed to be challenging to identify, with 7% of respondents saying they thought that not turning their router off at night was the reason for their problems…

What do UK residents pay for broadband?

Of the 2000 people surveyed, nearly half said they pay over £30 per month for their broadband connection. 1 in 10 people said their broadband bill came to £50 or more per month. The average price for broadband per month was £33.52 for UK households. 

Broadband Bewilderment is Nothing New

Here at Geekabit, we might be experts at all things Wi-Fi and wireless connectivity, but even we can sympathise with people getting confused over all the acronyms and terminology when it comes to broadband. It’s no wonder consumers feel a bit baffled. 

It’s not a new problem, and it doesn’t help that those in charge (regulators and government) seem to like to change the definitions of things fairly often. 

The threshold for ‘superfast’ broadband and download speeds has changed from 24 Mbps to 30 Mbps+ (to match with the EU). And with ‘ultrafast’ speeds on the scene, the speed of ‘superfast’ may be questionable anyways.  

Many in the Wi-Fi industry think of ‘ultrafast’ broadband as being 100 Mbps+, whereas Ofcom defines it as 300 Mbps+, so no wonder consumers feel confused at all the jargon. 

Often the best course of action is to look at what services are available to your premises, and then compare the advertised speeds from different providers. At the end of the day, even if you don’t know all the lingo, all you need to ensure is that you have an internet service that works, at the speeds you have been promised. 

New Ofcom Guidelines to be Introduced Later This Year 

Perhaps most annoyingly, some ISP’s use terms like ‘fibre’ broadband and ‘full fibre’ when it’s not strictly the truth. For example, using the term ‘fibre broadband’ to describe connections like FTTC (Fibre to the Cabinet) when it’s actually slower, hybrid-fibre connections. 

Ofcom’s new guidelines will mean that ISP’s will only be able to use terms like ‘fibre’ and ‘full fibre’ broadband when their network actually brings fibre optic cables all the way to your home (ie. FTTP/B). These new guidelines should help make things clearer for consumers, and will come in later in 2024. 

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WiFi 8: What is it, What’s the Spec and When Will it Be Released?

As a society we’re always keen to get our hands on the latest technology – But no sooner as it’s in our hands, thoughts are already turning to what’s next. 

You might have barely got to grips with Wi-Fi 6, but with 233 million Wi-Fi 7 devices estimated to enter the market this year, is it any wonder we’re already looking ahead to Wi-Fi 8?

What is Wi-Fi 8?

Simply put, it’s the next generation of Wi-Fi and will be successor to the Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) standard. 

As with previous Wi-Fi standard successions, the aim of Wi-Fi 8 will be to improve wireless performance as well as introduce new and innovative features to advance Wi-Fi technology further. 

Generally this means that in comparison to previous standards, the new one will offer:

  • Faster speeds
  • Lower latency
  • Better performance 

What’s the spec for Wi-Fi 8?

We don’t actually know the specifications of Wi-Fi 8 yet as the details haven’t been officially released. 

But would it even be a technological advancement if there wasn’t speculation on the specifications? 

We are expecting the technical details for Wi-Fi 8 to be finalised and released imminently.

What can we expect from Wi-Fi 8?

Over the years we’ve seen a steady evolution of Wi-Fi standards, with each one playing its own vital role in providing our indoor and outdoor environments with seamless wireless connectivity. 

As the Internet of Things has also evolved over time, each standard has of course had its inadequacies, with a constant push for better. 

So what will the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard offer to help with the current connectivity challenges we’ve been facing? 

Wi-Fi 8 is expected to offer us a range of powerful new features and capabilities, designed to provide high-reliability, ultra low latency and support for extremely high node density.

A few of the major features we’re expecting from Wi-Fi 8 are:

  • Multiple Access Point Coordination and Transmission
  • Millimeter Wave (mmWave) Frequencies
  • Low Latency

So let’s take a little look at each of these major Wi-Fi 8 features and what they mean. 

What is Multiple Access Point (AP) Coordination and Transmission for Wi-Fi 8?

When a network has multiple access points deployed, e.g. in buildings and office complexes, they operate on the same radio frequency. This can cause interference and the degradation of network performance. To help alleviate this, the transmissions of the access points can be configured to avoid overlapping channels and coordinated accordingly.

Multiple Access Point (AP) coordination and transmission in Wi-Fi refers to the management of multiple access points in a wireless network to avoid interference and ensure efficient communication between the client devices and the network. 

We can ensure that transmissions do not interfere with each other by using coordination techniques for Access Points. This could look like: 

  • Channel Allocation: Interference can be minimised by configuring Access points to use non-overlapping channels. This can be done manually or automatically using techniques such as Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS).
  • Power Management: Interference can be avoided by configuring Access points to adjust their transmission power based on their proximity to other access points.
  • Load Balancing: Network loads can be balanced through configuring Access points by directing clients to connect to the least congested access point.

How can Millimetre Wave Links improve Wi-Fi 8?

Improvements in Wi-Fi 8 can be made using mmWave by providing access to a larger spectrum of frequencies. This in turn allows for higher bandwidth and data rates. 

By using mmWave, Wi-Fi 8 can support data rates of up to 100 Gbps. What would this be useful for? This feature would be perfect for things like 4K and 8K video streaming as well as virtual and augmented reality. Other high-bandwidth and low-latency applications like these would also benefit. 

Performance improvements will also be seen in environments with high node density with mmWave technology. Places like stadiums and concert halls will benefit from better coverage with Wi-Fi 8 as well as the reduction of interference between devices.  

Information on a Project Authorisation Request document suggests that Ultra High Reliability technology will be a key part of Wi-Fi 8. It looks like it will be capable of support carrier frequencies in the mmWave bands between 42.5 and 71 GHz and achieving an aggregate throughput of 100 Gbps. 

In comparison to Wi-Fi 7, it’s expected that UHR will offer improvements in maximum latency and jitter for latency-sensitive applications, especially those in the 99 to 99.9999th percentile range. 

Wi-Fi 8 and Low Latency

Why is low latency so important? In this day and age, our modern industries rely on Wi-Fi in many industrial applications, e.g. real-time control systems, remote monitoring, robotic automation. Without fast and reliable communication between devices, the performance of these applications would degrade and cause big problems. 

Even the smallest of delays in data transmission can cause significant errors or delays further down the system, affecting response time as well as negatively impacting production processes and potentially even causing safety issues. 

The amount of data generated and transmitted over Wi-Fi networks is increasing rapidly as more industrial applications adopt the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and other advanced technologies. 

In order for this data to be transmitted accurately and quickly, it’s crucial that there is low latency to reduce delays and bottlenecks. 

Previously, a latency of under 25 ms was achieved with Wi-Fi 7, using Restricted Target Wake Time (R-TWT), Stream Classification Service (SCS) and Quality of Service (QoS) signalling. However, this standard falls short of the current demands of industrial applications which need latencies of less than a few milliseconds. 

Thankfully, the Wi-Fi world is expecting UHR to enhance and improve things in this area by minimising the maximum latency of Wi-Fi. 

When will we be using Wi-Fi 8?

It’s estimated and expected that Wi-Fi 8 could become a market reality in 2027/2028. 

Watch this space! 

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Teltonika Network Setup – What is RSSI and RSRP? 

Enable yourself to get better understanding and control of your Teltonika networking solution’s performance with wireless connection support display RSSI and RSRP signal strength. 

Familiarising yourself with RSSI and RSRP metrics wireless network support will help to enhance your Teltonika Networks next steps. 

Wireless Networks are the preferred choice for IoT connectivity

When it comes to IoT (internet of things) applications, wired connections once held dominance. But it is becoming increasingly evident that the preferred choice for IoT connectivity is wireless networking. 

The wireless connectivity market is expected to continue to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.8% in the next 3 years, solidifying the trend of networking solutions becoming increasingly dependent on Wi-Fi or mobile networks. 

Due to the versatility and convenience offered by wireless connectivity, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. 

Without the limitations of wiring, network devices can be configured, monitored and managed remotely – Even if they’re in a different city, country or continent. 

The benefits of using a wireless connection are indisputable.

What are the primary connectivity options? 

There are 2 primary choices when it comes to wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi and mobile technology. 

Wi-Fi 

  • Operates on the IEEE 802.11 standard
  • Supports multiple protocols including 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n and 802.11ac (determining the connection’s speed and range)

Mobile Technologies

  • Have evolved from 3G to 4G to 5G
  • Each defines the connection’s speed and capacity available to users and end devices

RSSI and RSRP

Whether your network device operates on Wi-Fi or mobile technologies, if you’re checking out your network then you’ll likely come across RSSI and RSRP metrics. These metrics are vital for displaying the strength and power of your connection. 

What is RSSI, what does it do and how is it measured? 

  • RSSI stands for Received Signal Strength Indicator. 
  • At the moment radio frequency power and quality reaches the receiver, it’s measured by RSSI. For example, a network device or antenna. 
  • RSSI can be used to gauge the strength of the signal in any wireless system, it’s not exclusive to any one type of wireless technology. 
  • Whether you’re using Wi-Fi or mobile technologies, RSSI can provide signal strength data across different types of radio frequency communications. 
  • This means that RSSI can be a good indicator of whether your network devices have robust connectivity.
  • RSSI signal strength is measured in negative values, with stronger, higher quality signal values being closest to zero.
  • NOTE: RSSI values are not standardised across industries, so bear this in mind when interpreting network data for devices manufactured by different companies. 

What is RSRP? 

  • RSRP stands for Reference Signal Received Power and is measured in negative values.
  • RSRP is particularly relevant for mobile technology network solutions like 4G and 5G.
  • It is a type of RSSI measurement, but used to measure the power of mobile signals spread over full bandwidth and narrowband.
  • RSRP measurements can help you to see your network’s overall signal coverage and capacity across all frequencies used for your networking solutions by measuring across the full bandwidth.
  • The quality of your connection in specific frequency ranges can be assessed by measuring RSRP over a narrowband. This can be used to troubleshoot specific issues that could affect signal quality as well as optimising network performance.
  • By using the RSRP signal strength, you can determine a more precise measurement of the cellular connectivity that your network receiver obtains. Having this information can enable you to make informed decision about your network infrastructure as well as Quality of Service Assessments and further improvements.
  • NOTE: Just as with RSSI, the RSRP signal strength can differ by manufacturer.

Your Teltonika Network

Both RSSI and RSRP signal strength indicators are displayed for Teltonika Network devices enabled with Wi-Fi or mobile connectivity devices.

The display of these metrics can be accessed via RutOS. The latest 7.06 version of RutOS has enhanced data visualisation capabilities for mobile connections.

For help with your Teltonika Network, get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today. Our professional wireless network engineers can help with both Wi-Fi networks and mobile connectivity. 

We can also help with alternative networks other than Teltonika. 

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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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