The early success of Starlink has brought the discussion about satellite Internet to the forefront. With the service set to be widely available in the U.S. in 2022, many consumers have questions.
What Is Satellite Internet?
Satellite internet is an alternative to cable, DSL, fiber-optic and cellular internet. This form of Internet access employs satellites in space to send and receive data from earthbound antennas. Up until now, satellite Internet has had somewhat of a bad rap. That is because top providers like HughesNet and Viasat employ a relatively small number of fixed-position satellites. Starlink—and its upcoming competitors—will have large satellite constellations that actually orbit the earth.
How Does Satellite Internet Work?
There have been a number of iterations of satellite internet over the years. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on how Starlink internet works, and the reason is that is that Starlink currently sets the standard for the foreseeable future. SpaceX launches Starlink satellites into space. These satellites exist in the orbit of the Earth and maintain a consistent depth but have their own orbit around the Earth. These satellites communicate by sending and receiving radio waves. As for the end-user experience, it does not feel much different than any other form of broadband Internet.
What Equipment Is Required?
There are three core pieces of equipment that are required: antenna, modem and router. The antenna—often called a satellite dish—is what sends data to and receives data from the Starlink satellites. Your modem is essentially a translator positioned between your home network and the antenna. When you request a web page, for instance, that request is sent to your modem that then converts that data into a format that the antenna can use. When the webpage is returned, your modem performs that conversion again but in reverse. The router is connected to your modem. It facilitates network communication and connects your devices via Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections.
Is Weather a Factor?
This is understandably a common question because many people have had experiences with satellite TV and know firsthand the disruptions that inclement weather and even sunspots can cause. The answer is yes. It is notable that the technology has improved on this front and that Starlink is working on other technologies to improve it further. Still, if a bad storm is incoming, Starlink currently recommends that you bring your antenna indoors. Be mindful, however, that even with weather outages, uptime and reliability should be superior to cable broadband Internet.
How Much Does It Cost?
Note that costs may be subject to change, but the beta program currently costs $99 per month and requires the customer to purchase the Starlink kit, which includes the dish, for $500. Plans from HughesNet and Viasat, which provide inferior service, range from $50 to $150 a month.
When Will Starlink Be Available?
Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, has said that Starlink plans to offer its services widely in the U.S. in 2022. Whether it not it has enough satellites and can launch enough new satellites to accommodate all of the U.S. that soon remains to be seen, but it is worth mentioning that Starlink has impressed thus far. Many industry insiders believed the beta program plans for the fourth quarter of 2021 were too optimistic, but SpaceX not only managed to meet its mark, the beta program has been a great success by almost any measure.
