Starlink buzz is strong enough that Reviews.org did a survey of 500 people over
age 18 to ask whether they’d consider getting on board. Despite the cost ($499
for an antenna and router, plus $99 a month), over half of those surveyed said
they’re ready to sign up for the beta program, and 55% who don’t use satellite
now would stick with Starlink permanently if the connection speed was faster—
even if it was more expensive than what they currently have. Forty-four percent
of all respondents would stick with Starlink if they could make payments on the
equipment rather than paying the $499 up front.
The most important decision factors for survey takers? Streaming (74%), video
calls (72%), and online gaming (56%).
The average monthly internet price in the US is $65, so Starlink is pricier in that
sense. But broken down by price per Mbps, Starlink comes out cheaper—$0.96
per Mbps (currently averaging 104Mbps on downloads) versus $1.13 per Mbps
for the competition, on average.
FYI, Starlink’s speed eclipses other satellite internet providers in a big way and
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going to be much closer to what you get with cable (but not quite as good as
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from 33.3Mbps on average last summer to 79.5Mbps downloads as of October
- That’s more than three times the best download speed you’d ever see
from the closest existing satellite internet competitor (Viasat). And don’t even
get me started about Viasat’s latency. If you’ve got the right equipment, Starlink
will even work in cars.
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