Starlink Reviews 2024: Plans, Prices, And Speed

In today’s digital age, reliable internet access is a necessity.

Many still struggle with limited options, particularly in rural areas.

This is where Starlink steps in.

Backed by SpaceX, Starlink provides innovative satellite internet services, including roaming and RV options..

With its ambitious goals and high-speed internet capabilities, Starlink has generated significant buzz and captured the attention of tech enthusiasts and skeptics alike. This article will delve into Starlink’s plans, prices, and speed while exploring its pros.

Here’s what we’ll dig into in this post:

What is Starlink?
Starlink Internet Plans
Pros of Starlink
Starlink vs. Viasat and HughesNet
How can you get Starlink?
Starlink Availability Compared to Competitors
How Much Does Starlink Cost?
Starlink News
Starlink data
Starlink Internet installation
The Fine Print and Potential Concerns
Comparing Starlink with Other Internet Providers
Is Starlink worth it?

Let’s dig in.

What is Starlink?

SpaceX’s Starlink internet service is a unique offering by Elon Musk, utilizing a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Starlink provides unlimited data with high-speed Internet, surpassing typical broadband speeds in most plans. It also boasts lower latency compared to most other satellite internet providers. Starlink notably provides fixed-location plans for homes and portable satellite internet options.

Starlink stands out with its generous data allowances and faster connection speeds compared to Viasat and HughesNet, the two other major satellite internet providers. However, it’s important to note that Starlink requires a higher initial investment due to equipment fees. It’s worth noting that Starlink’s availability is not as widespread as Viasat or HughesNet, and some individuals have been on waitlists for extended periods.

Starlink Internet Plans

Starlink offers a range of internet plans to cater to different needs and budgets. Let’s take a closer look at the available plans:

Starlink Standard

The Starlink Standard plan is designed for residential home internet. It offers download speeds ranging from 25 to 220Mbps, with latency ranging from 25 to 50ms. The plan has unlimited data and is priced at $90.00 to $120.00 per month, depending on your coverage area.

Starlink Priority

Starlink Priority plans are intended for users who require faster speeds and priority data. The Priority plans offer download speeds ranging from 40 to 220Mbps, with latency similar to the Standard plan. The pricing for Priority plans ranges from $250.00 to $1,500.00 per month, depending on the desired speed and data cap.

Starlink Roam

In our Starlink roam reviews, we’ve noted that the Starlink Roam plan is ideal for those on the move, particularly appealing to RV users, aligning well with the latest Starlink RV reviews.. The Roam plan offers download speeds ranging from 5 to 50Mbps, with latency similar to the other plans. The pricing for Roam plans ranges from $150.00 to $200.00 per month, depending on the desired speed.

Starlink Mobility

Starlink Mobility is a plan tailored for mobile businesses and emergency responders. It offers a download speed of 220Mbps with a latency similar to other plans. The pricing for Mobility plans ranges from $250.00 to $5,000.00 per month, depending on the desired data cap.

Starlink Maritime

Starlink Maritime plans are designed specifically for maritime applications like boats and ships. These plans offer a download speed of 220Mbps, with latency over 100ms. The pricing for Maritime plans ranges from $250.00 to $5,000.00 per month, depending on the desired data cap.

It’s important to note that the equipment fee for Starlink plans varies from $599.00 to $2,500.00, depending on the plan and coverage area.

Pros of Starlink

Apart from its high-speed Internet and unlimited data, Starlink offers several additional benefits to its customers:

No cancellation fee: Starlink does not charge a fee for canceling the service, providing flexibility to users.
Refundable deposit for waitlist: Customers on the waitlist must pay a $99 deposit, which is applied towards the equipment purchase once available.
Easy setup: Starlink provides an app that assists users in finding the best location to set up the dish, ensuring optimal performance.
Space debris management: Starlink’s satellites are designed to deorbit when they are no longer operable, contributing to space cleanliness.

Starlink vs. Viasat and HughesNet

Regarding speed, Starlink and Viasat are quite similar, although Viasat offers less data than Starlink. Additionally, Viasat has a broader coverage area than Starlink. Both options are solid for speed and data, but Viasat may have an advantage due to its wider availability.

Recently, Viasat launched its new Viasat-3 satellite, boasting terabyte capabilities. This suggests the potential for even higher speeds and data shortly. In contrast, Starlink has faced challenges in maintaining its network.

HughesNet, however, doesn’t match the speed of Starlink or Viasat, but it’s not aiming to. HughesNet is a budget-friendly choice, providing basic broadband internet speeds at more affordable prices than Starlink and Viasat. HughesNet is a suitable option if your needs primarily involve emailing and occasional video calls with family.

It’s worth noting that Starlink doesn’t only compete with other satellite internet providers. The best rural internet alternatives are now 4G and 5G home internet providers.

Starlink satellite internet vs. 4G and 5G home internet

When choosing between Starlink satellite internet and 4G or 5G home internet from Verizon or T-Mobile, it’s generally recommended to opt for Verizon or T-Mobile if they are available in your area. These cellular providers offer similar advantages, such as no contracts and high speeds, but at a more affordable cost and with lower latency.

If you’re already a Verizon mobile customer, going for Verizon LTE Home Internet is a smart choice, as it provides blazing-fast speeds for just $25 per month. The drawback of both Verizon and T-Mobile home internet services is their limited availability, which is also a constraint shared by Starlink.

How can you get Starlink?

You can sign up for Starlink Internet by visiting their website. If Starlink is available in your area and has enough capacity, you’ll receive your Starlink Kit within 2 weeks after placing an order. You can visit their beta sign-up page to determine if Starlink is available in your location. You’ll find information about the waitlist, area coverage, and more there.

Suppose Starlink isn’t available in your area yet. In that case, you can still secure your spot on the waitlist by depositing $99 to $500, depending on whether you want the standard Starlink service, Starlink RV internet (now known as Starlink Roam), or Starlink Business. To find out when you can access Starlink, simply enter your address on the Starlink website.

Starlink Availability Compared to Competitors

Regarding bringing internet access to rural areas, availability is a top concern. Currently, SpaceX’s Starlink lags behind well-established nationwide satellite providers like Viasat and HughesNet regarding coverage. Starlink is actively working on expanding its reach by launching more satellites with the help of SpaceX rockets. However, there are still significant gaps in Starlink’s internet coverage compared to its competitors.

If you’re eager to get Starlink, but it’s not yet available in your area, you can still sign up, but there’s a catch. You’ll need to pay a $99.00 deposit, and you might face delays beyond what was initially promised due to supply chain issues. SpaceX has attributed these delays to shortages of essential components like chips and silicon.

Additionally, Starlink serves customers on a first-come, first-served basis. This could be problematic if there’s high demand for Starlink in your area, and you find yourself lower on the waiting list. If you require satellite internet services immediately, it’s advisable to opt for Viasat or HughesNet, as they currently offer more widespread availability.

Where is Starlink Internet available?

Starlink Internet is now accessible in most parts of the continental United States, although some areas in the South and West still lack coverage, especially for Starlink RV users. Additionally, Starlink is available in several other countries, including Canada, Australia, New Belgium, Zealand, France, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. SpaceX consistently launches more satellites to expand its coverage, as evidenced by Elon Musk’s frequent tweets.

However, there have been issues in Pakistan and India where SpaceX accepted preorders without the necessary licenses, which could delay their plans for global coverage. SpaceX has received approval from the FCC Federal Communications Commission in the United States for a Starlink network consisting of 4,408 satellites. They also seek additional FCC approval to expand this network to over 30,000 satellites, greatly enhancing coverage and performance nationwide.

How Much Does Starlink Cost?

Starlink offers various satellite internet plans with different pricing options to cater to diverse needs. Let’s break down these plans for you:

Starlink Business

Starlink Business provides three distinct satellite internet plans. The Priority 1TB plan, designed for fixed locations, offers faster speeds due to Priority data and costs $250 per month. The Priority 2TB plan is available for $500 per month, while the Priority 6TB plan costs $1,500 a month. Most families typically don’t exceed 1TB of data usage, making the $250 plan suitable for small businesses. You can select your equipment, but Starlink recommends the $2,500 high-performance satellite for optimal Priority data performance.

Starlink RV

Starlink Roam, previously known as Starlink RV, is a portable internet plan. It comes in two options: Regional access for $150 per month and Global access for $200 per month. Additionally, you’ll need to consider upfront equipment costs of $599 for a satellite you set up each time or $2,500 for in-motion technology.

Starlink Mobility

Starlink Mobility is the latest internet plan, similar to Starlink Roam, but with higher costs and the use of the highest priority data. It offers three data tiers: $250 per month for 50GB, $1,000 per month for 1TB, and $5,000 per month for 5TB. Starlink Mobility exclusively utilizes the Flat High-Performance Starlink dish, requiring an upfront equipment fee of $2,500. This plan is tailored for mobile businesses like emergency responders or luxury vehicle fleets.

Starlink Maritime is closely aligned with Starlink Mobility, offering the same data tiers and costs. Starlink Roam’s Global plan and Starlink Mobility use the Flat High-Performance Starlink dish, which comes with a $2,500 upfront equipment fee.

Starlink Fees

The equipment fee for the Starlink Standard plan is $599, plus shipping, and self-installation is free. In the case of Starlink Business plans, such as Priority 1TB, Priority 2TB, and Priority 6TB, the equipment fee is $2,500, plus shipping, with free self-installation.

It’s worth noting that while these fees may seem steep, Starlink aims to reduce costs in the future, with Elon Musk expressing the goal of lowering the equipment fee to as low as $250. This reduction aligns with Starlink’s mission to provide affordable broadband access to underserved rural communities.

Starlink News

SpaceX’s Starlink has been buzzing with activity, primarily due to its latest version of two satellites. In a recent Starlink launch, 21 smaller mini-satellites were sent into orbit for testing. Starlink was hoping that the new technology in the V2 satellites would help address the significant network congestion problems that led to a price increase.

However, there’s been a setback with the V2 satellites. Observations from Starlink trackers revealed that these satellites were descending in altitude instead of ascending, leading to concerns. Elon Musk acknowledged these issues in a tweet. Fortunately, SpaceX has had successful launches since then. Still, it’s essential to keep a close watch on how Starlink progresses in expanding its coverage, especially with new competitors like Project Kuiper emerging.

If you’ve been affected by the Starlink price increase and were banking on relief from network congestion through the V2 satellites, you may have to wait a bit longer. If you need better Internet right now, you might want to explore our Viasat vs. HughesNet review to see if either of these satellite internet providers can help resolve your connectivity problems in the interim.

Starlink launches

On March 29, SpaceX sent another batch of 56 Starlink satellites into space from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. This launch brought the total number of Starlink satellites in orbit to 4,217. All these satellites were part of the older generation of Starlink satellites, as the newer Starlink V2 satellites have encountered technical challenges.

Starlink data

Starlink offers various data plans tailored to different needs, making it important to understand their details. Let’s break down the Starlink data plans for fixed-location and mobile users.

Starlink data for fixed-location plans

Starlink offers a straightforward Standard plan, which provides unlimited standard monthly data for a cost ranging from $90 to $120. However, there’s a catch – if you use more data than the average Starlink user, your internet speed may be reduced. They don’t specify the exact limit, so it’s unclear what the data cap is.

For businesses, Starlink offers several options. You can choose from Starlink Priority plans with 1TB, 2TB, or 6TB of priority data. Priority data ensures that your internet usage is given precedence over Standard plan users, so you won’t experience slowdowns, even during peak times, unless there are Mobile Priority users in your area.

The cost of your Starlink Priority plan increases with the amount of priority data you select. Suppose you exhaust your priority data for the month. In that case, you can either purchase more data (prices available in a table) or rely on the Standard data, which you’ll be switched to automatically. Now, if you’re interested in mobile internet plans, Starlink offers customizable options that are a bit more complex.

Starlink data for on-the-go plans

Starlink’s Roam plans offer unlimited mobile data, but there’s a catch – your mobile data gets lower priority than Standard data. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll always experience slow speeds. Still, if many Standard, Priority, and especially Mobile Priority data users are in your area, they will get priority over you on the Starlink network.

On the other hand, Starlink’s Mobility plans provide the highest priority data. These plans are made for first responders and other emergencies to meet their needs. However, they are also among Starlink’s more expensive options, and the price depends on how much Mobile Priority data you need.

Starlink Internet installation

Starlink installation doesn’t cost extra, as it’s a DIY process using the Starlink app once you receive your Starlink kit. When you pay the equipment fee ranging from $599 to $2,500, you’ll get a Starlink Kit, including the following items:

Starlink Satellite Dish: The kit includes a state-of-the-art satellite dish, which may come in either circular or rectangular form, depending on the version. This dish is a crucial component for connecting to the Starlink satellite network.
Wi-Fi Router/Power Supply: In the kit, you’ll also find a Wi-Fi router and power supply. The router provides internet connectivity within your home and ensures that multiple devices can connect seamlessly to the Starlink network. The power supply is essential for keeping your equipment running smoothly.
Cables: Various cables are provided to establish connections between the satellite dish, router, and other necessary equipment. These cables are designed for optimal performance and ease of installation.
Base: The kit contains a sturdy base that assists in securely mounting the satellite dish. Proper positioning and alignment of the dish are crucial for optimal internet connectivity, and the base plays a key role.

You can follow the step-by-step instructions in the Starlink installation guide to set up your Starlink service. Additionally, you can download the Starlink app on either iOS or Android devices, which will assist you in identifying a location with a clear view of the sky. This unobstructed view is crucial to ensure optimal performance of your Starlink connection.

You can purchase additional mounting equipment from the Starlink Shop once your order is placed. In select areas, you may even find the Starlink satellite dish and setup kit available for purchase through retailers such as Home Depot. This installation process is straightforward, cost-effective, and convenient for users to access reliable internet connectivity through Starlink.

The Fine Print and Potential Concerns

While Starlink offers promising features, there are certain aspects to consider before making a decision:

Equipment limitations: In the event of damage to the cable attached to the dish, the entire dish may need replacement. Additionally, the dish requires an unobstructed line of sight to the satellites, which may not be feasible in densely populated areas.
Sky pollution concerns: Starlink’s plan to launch 42,000 satellites into space has raised concerns about sky pollution. However, the company has emphasized its commitment to deorbiting satellites after their useful life to mitigate this issue.
Long-term viability: Elon Musk has estimated that Starlink would require significant investment ranging from $20 to $30 billion. The financial sustainability of the service is a valid concern.

Comparing Starlink with Other Internet Providers

It is essential to compare them with other internet service providers (ISPs) to evaluate Starlink’s offerings. While Starlink excels in providing high-speed Internet to rural areas, it faces competition from 5G hotspots, other satellite internet providers, and fiber or hybrid fiber options. The monthly fees of Starlink are comparable to other ISPs, but the equipment fee sets it apart. However, Starlink’s equipment fee is one-time, unlike other providers that charge for regular modem and router upgrades.

Is Starlink Worth It?

Deciding whether Starlink is worth it depends on individual circumstances and requirements. If you live in a rural area where traditional broadband options are limited, Starlink can provide a fast and reliable internet connection. Its unlimited data and faster speeds compared to other satellite providers make it an attractive option for those who rely on the Internet for work, education, or entertainment.

However, it’s important to consider availability, pricing, and equipment fees. Starlink’s availability is still expanding, and some areas may experience delays in receiving the service. Starlink’s plans and equipment fees are generally higher than other satellite providers.

Before making a decision, assessing your specific needs, comparing available options, and considering factors such as coverage, pricing, and speeds are recommended. Consulting your local internet providers and checking out what customers say in reviews can help you determine how good and dependable the service is in your neighborhood.

In conclusion, Starlink has the potential to revolutionize satellite internet and provide fast and affordable connectivity to underserved areas. While it may not be the perfect solution for everyone, its advancements in technology and commitment to expanding coverage make it a promising option for those in need of reliable internet access.

Conclusion

Concluding our comprehensive Starlink reviews for 2023, it’s clear that Starlink’s satellite internet services, including the innovative Roam and RV plans, offer a promising solution for connectivity challenges, especially in rural areas.. However, equipment costs, limited availability, and concerns about sky pollution and long-term viability are factors to consider. As Starlink continues to expand its coverage and improve its service, it has the potential to revolutionize internet access and bridge the digital divide.

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