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Starlink prospects are among the happiest within the enterprise, outscoring cable, fiber and stuck wi-fi suppliers in a brand new report from the analysis agency Recon Analytics.
The agency collected information from over 153,000 respondents between Might 12, 2023, and July 5, 2024, 1,300 of which had been Starlink prospects.
Because it began launching satellites in 2019, the satellite tv for pc web firm owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX has at all times had a passionate fanbase — a uncommon factor in an business that routinely ranks below airways, hospitals and social media firms for buyer satisfaction — however these excessive scores are nonetheless considerably shocking.
Starlink provides each excessive costs and modest speeds. Customers usually get obtain speeds between 25 and 220Mbps, and the month-to-month value begins at $120 — properly above the $63 average within the US. Prospects even have to purchase a satellite tv for pc dish upfront for $499 (currently on sale for $299).
So why is Starlink so beloved, even with these middling stats? It’s all concerning the alternate options. Most of its prospects (85%) dwell in rural areas, the place DSL and slower satellite tv for pc suppliers are sometimes the one different choices. A few of its prospects (11%) have by no means had a house web connection earlier than Starlink.
“When you haven’t any different choices, even dear web appears prefer it’s price it,” defined Roger Entner, the creator of the Recon Analytics report.
The report comes at a time of fast development for Starlink. It recently surpassed 3 million subscribers worldwide and 1.4 million within the US, placing it properly forward of satellite tv for pc opponents Hughesnet (1 million subscribers) and Viasat (257,000).
Excessive marks for reliability and efficiency
Rural internet is normally synonymous with unreliable web, however Starlink appears to have flipped that script. Some 30% of Starlink prospects stated their web went down sooner or later prior to now 90 days, which was decrease than cable and DSL suppliers however greater than fiber and stuck wi-fi.
It additionally seems to be the steadiest of the bunch, with few prospects noticing slowdowns or units being disconnected. And whereas resetting the router is a typical expertise for most individuals, just one in 5 Starlink prospects needed to take this step.
| Web connection went down | Web was slower than normal | I needed to reset Wi-Fi router | Units disconnected from the community | |
| Starlink Read full review |
30% | 24% | 20% | 19% |
| Main Fiber | 24% | 31% | 27% | 25% |
| Giant FWA | 25% | 27% | 27% | 25% |
| Main Cable | 39% | 34% | 33% | 28% |
| Main DSL | 33% | 32% | 28% | 26% |
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Supply: Recon Analytics
“Contemplating that Starlink is a service that requires a direct line of sight to a passing satellite tv for pc, these metrics are spectacular,” Entner wrote. “It has additionally been capable of handle bandwidth, even throughout peak hours.”
Starlink additionally fared extraordinarily properly on the technical efficiency metrics, incomes the very best scores for full expertise, streaming video, and connecting and sustaining a Wi-Fi connection.
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| Full expertise | Straightforward set up | Streaming video | Connecting/sustaining Wi-Fi connection | Gaming | |
| Starlink Read full review |
42 | 30 | 44 | 37 | 23 |
| Main Fiber | 18 | 18 | 22 | 18 | 12 |
| Giant FWA | 40 | 52 | 39 | 36 | 29 |
| Main Cable | -2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | -7 |
| Main DSL | -10 | 5 | -6 | -8 | -20 |
Present extra (1 merchandise)
Supply: Recon Analytics
“It is extremely much like mounted wi-fi entry, in that when it really works, it really works very properly, and when it doesn’t work, the service supplier makes it straightforward to return the product inside 30 days with both a complete refund or solely having to pay for companies rendered,” Entner stated.
There are in all probability additionally some low expectations at work right here. It’s unlikely, as an example, that Starlink is definitely higher for gaming than a fiber connection. Ookla pace take a look at information reveals that Starlink posted an average latency time of 58ms in November 2023; fiber suppliers like Verizon Fios (15ms) and Frontier (17ms) got here in at a fraction of that time.
One caveat: Customer support
The one space the place Starlink didn’t obtain excessive scores is customer support. It’s not that it’s dangerous — extra that it’s non-existent.
The corporate doesn’t have in-person shops or perhaps a cellphone quantity you may name, so that you’ll should play the net chat sport by means of Starlink’s app or web site. This doesn’t really join you to an actual particular person, however you may submit a service ticket and hope for a fast response. PCMag has a useful information for reaching Starlink customer service here.
The underside line
Whereas these outcomes are an unequivocal win for Starlink, that doesn’t imply it is best to routinely swap your web service. Mounted wi-fi web — one other massive winner within the Recon Analytics report — additionally outscored cable and fiber in a J.D. Power survey from earlier this yr, and fiber got here out on high this yr’s American Customer Satisfaction Index results. (Starlink wasn’t embody in both survey.)
However there’s no denying that Starlink’s customers are notably enthusiastic concerning the satellite tv for pc web service. It comes right down to choices. Starlink is commonly leaps and bounds forward of the opposite web choices obtainable in rural areas, however it doesn’t make as a lot sense in areas the place cable, fiber and 5G home internet are broadly obtainable.
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