The reports indicate that Americans are clearly interested in SpaceX’s Starlink and 5G broadband as potential home Internet services. But for now it is unclear which option has more appeal compared to traditional cable broadband. Some reports show that Americans are more interested in Starlink, while others indicate that most people are not sure if they would use one instead of the other, or even any. The demand for a better internet is obviously there due to [gestures at everything], but of course there is some confusion about which type of Internet connection will be the best. So, let’s dive in to clarify that.
First, the place where you live will likely determine whether you will get a better Internet with Starlink or via 5G. SpaceX’s Starlink is a satellite Internet service, which means it works best with a clear view of the sky in large open spaces. Storms, trees, buildings, snow or any other natural or man-made obstruction can weaken the signal or interrupt the Internet connection. Data packets and other virtual information are literally sent from space, so if any of these things get in the way, your internet is likely to be uneven.
Not only that, but there is a finite amount of bandwidth that a satellite can provide userstherefore, many users connecting to a terminal means slower Internet speeds at home. Critics skeptical of Starlink pointed to these challenges in the months ahead the rural rural FCC awardoabroadband funds for the service not yet proven.
“My concern is not the capacity of one or two users, but what happens when you reach 20, 30, 40 or 50,000 users. Obviously, you have to share the same constellation across the country, ”said National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative CEO Tim Bryan during a recent press conference. “I have no doubt that the Starlink constellation could be successful in some areas, particularly in things like deep blue seas. I have difficulty seeing how this will reliably deliver a 100 megabit service to the hundreds and thousands of customers in the census block groups for which you made the offer. “
5G has an advantage over Starlink in terms of reliable service, because it is built on top of the existing cellular infrastructure. To get 5G service at home, you have to put an antenna or a small receiver / transmitter in your home, which can ping a 5G antenna at a nearby cell tower. The 5G signal enters your home and then a wi-fi router covers your space with wireless internet.
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People living in rural towns and cities will have a better chance with Starlink, if they can afford it, than with 5G, unless telecommunications invests in providing services to their areas. People living in rural towns and cities will have a better chance with Starlink, if they can afford it, than with 5G, unless telecommunications invests in providing services to their areas. For mmWave 5G, you need more towers because the high frequency speed travels over much shorter distances. For slower, 5G from medium to low band, the existing towers will do. (Basically, don’t expect to get ultra-fast home Internet in rural areas.)
T-Mobile said it plans to have 9.5 million 5G Home subscribers by 2024. Verizon’s own 5G HMy service is still extremely limited – to specific parts of specific cities – and the operator has not indicated how many people it hopes to attract.
Starlink has only 10,000 customers at the moment, although that number may skip quickly because SpaceX recently opened pre-orders for its satellite internet service. Perhaps if or when the company announces its pre-order numbers, we will have a better idea of the demand for its satellite Internet service. The company asked the FCC for permission to deploy up to 5 million user terminals last August due to interest. But the question of whether SpaceX will launch enough satellites to cover the areas it needs to cover and provide reliable service remains.
Depending on where you live, any option may be no better than wired or fiber broadband. But for underserved and underserved areas that lack a reliable internet service – a problem that affects 19 million Americans—Big Internet service providers are failing at work. No wonder Starlink looks attractive – to these people, satellite internet may seem like the only real option.
Are you a Starlink customer? Send me an email to [email protected] and tell me how was your experience.