It turns out that the communication speed of 'Starlink', which realizes satellite communication Internet anywhere in the world, is declining as the number of users increases, what is the actual situation?


by

Steve Jurvetson

Internet service using artificial satellites provided by SpaceX, a space company founded by Elon Musk CEO of Tesla, is 'Starlink'is. Starlink, which allows access to high-speed Internet lines even in areas with poor communication infrastructure, has published data by research company Ookla that the communication speed is declining due to an increase in the number of users.

Starlink Slowed in Q2, Competitors Mounting Challenges | Ookla®
https://www.ookla.com/articles/starlink-hughesnet-viasat-performance-q2-2022

Starlink Speeds Drop Significantly in the US Amid Congestion Woes | PCMag
https://www.pcmag.com/news/starlink-speeds-drop-significantly-in-the-us-amid-congestion-woes

The line graph below shows the transition of the median value of Starlink's communication speed (vertical axis, Mbps unit) in one year from the second quarter of 2021 (April to June) to the second quarter of 2022. The solid line indicates the downlink speed, and the dotted line indicates the uplink speed. 'All Providers Combined' is the median value surveyed for all fixed broadband operators, and 'SpaceX Starlink' shows changes only for Starlink.



Looking at the graph above, the median download speed is Canada (CA), France (FR), Germany (DE), New Zealand (NZ), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). We are seeing a decline of 9% to 54% from the first half to the second quarter of 2022. However, in the United States, the median download speed of 60 Mbps or more will be recorded even in the second quarter of 2022, and general work that requires the Internet, such as watching videos, downloading games, and video chatting. sufficient level for Upload speeds have also declined in all countries over the past year. Ookla analyzes the cause of Starlink's slowdown as ``because the number of Starlink users has increased''.

Also, according to Ookla, although communication delays are larger than fixed broadband, there was relatively no change in most countries. However, only New Zealand seems to have decreased by 23 milliseconds. ``In areas with no or slow internet service, or few affordable options for high-speed internet, Starlink may still be valuable, even at lower speeds,'' Ookla said. I'm here.

Below is a chart in which fixed broadband operators and satellite Internet services in each country in the North American area are arranged in descending order of median downlink communication speed (blue-green). The rightmost number (yellow green) is the delay. Starlink has the fastest download speeds of any satellite Internet service in any country, surpassing fixed broadband operators combined in Mexico and Puerto Rico. Regarding the median value (purple) of the upstream communication speed, fixed broadband is slightly faster.



Similar to the above, arranged by the median value of the communication speed of each country in the European area. Outside of Romania and Spain, Starlink's median downstream speed is higher than fixed broadband operators. However, for upload speed, all fixed broadband operators have a higher median value than Portugal. Also, it turns out that Starlink has a larger delay than fixed broadband.



Below is the case of South America. Chile's fixed broadband operator was the fastest median for both up and down, but according to Ookla, Chile's fixed broadband is the second fastest in the world. In South America, Starlink is only available in Brazil and Chile.



In the Oceania region, Starlink's median speeds outperformed Australia and Tonga, where fixed broadband was not very fast. In New Zealand, the fixed broadband operator total is faster, and there is a big difference in the uplink communication speed in particular.



Ookla said, ` `With Starlink partnering with T-Mobile and new smartphones supporting satellite communication , satellite communication is being introduced into the mobile realm. Access to the world is no longer a connection method. Consumers will benefit from a truly global space race, with more providers vying for the fastest and best satellite communications experience. can be expected,' he commented.

According to Mask CEO, as of September 26, 2022, Starlink's terminal production volume exceeded 1 million units.

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