Starlink vs. Standard Broadband: How Do They Compare & Which Is Better?

Key Points:

• Starlink uses a satellite to connect to the internet, while standard broadband offers ISP through copper telephone lines.
• Costing $110 per month, Starlink is more expensive than broadband, which will set you back around $62 a month.
• Starlink is fast at 250 Mbps; standard broadband’s speed is closer to 25 Mbps.

New vs. Old. Starlink vs. Standard Broadband. How does Starlink compare to Standard Broadband? Is the promise of this new technology going to be better than the old faithful? To answer these questions, we’ll compare them in this blog.

As the name suggests, Starlink is a satellite internet service. It requires you to connect your modem and router to an antenna that’s pointed toward the sky. Elon’s team has already shown that this wireless satellite system will outperform any cabled connection in terms of latency and coverage.

Standard broadband might lack speed but it more than makes up for it in pricing when compared to Starlink.

In this article, we’ll look at what these two internet connections offer, and compare their specifications, to determine which one is the best.

Starlink vs. Standard Broadband: Side by Side Comparison

Starlink vs. Standard Broadband: What’s The Difference?

Both Starlink and standard broadband are high-speed internet services that offer a reliable connection, but there are some differences between them.

Starlink is a new type of technology that offers speeds up to 250 Mbps globally, whereas standard broadband uses the tried-and-tested DSL technology for its swift and steady connections.

Standard Broadband is a tried and trusted service that has been around for a long time, and it shows no signs of going anywhere. (If you’re looking for a reliable broadband connection that won’t cost too much and doesn’t require any extra setup, then AT&T is your best bet.)

Starlink’s satellite internet service is ideal for rural areas where standard broadband isn’t available. They have recently launched a new service called Starlink RV, specifically designed just for travelers.

Starlink can be used for almost anything, from streaming TV shows to playing online games. It’s also great for home businesses that need a fast connection to upload large files or access cloud-based applications.

Cost

One of the biggest differences between Starlink and standard broadband is the cost. While both offer comparable speeds, Starlink is much more expensive.

Starlink costs $110 dollars per month, but it has no overage or penalty fees, unlike standard broadband. Standard broadband customers report having many penalty fees and charges that were over $100. They advertise standard broadband as $49, but after taxes and installment fees, the price works out to about $62.

Speeds

Starlink is faster than standard broadband. Starlink offers speeds up to 250 Mbps with no data caps.

Standard broadband advertises similar speeds, but in reality, there are way too many factors that cut into that speed. In reality, you can expect about 25 Mbps. Also, there’s a big problem with the cost of that type of broadband plan. It is enormous when compared to what Starlink or fiber optic companies provide.

With Starlink’s speed, you’ll always have access to fast and reliable internet at home. This means that you’ll be able to download a 4K movie in less than a few minutes and send large files in seconds without having to worry about being throttled or penalized. 

Latency

Latency is the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another. This may not sound like a big deal, but if you’re playing games online or streaming videos, latency can be a major factor in the quality of your connection.

A low latency connection is more responsive and can be better for gaming and video streaming. Starlink’s Latency is 43ms while the standard broadband is 20ms.

The Story Of Starlink

Starlink is a relatively new satellite internet service from SpaceX, and it’s designed as an alternative to traditional terrestrial broadband connections like cable and fiber optic. The company’s first batch of satellites launched in 2015 and has so far launched a total of 3000 satellites.

Starlink plans to create a cell phone service in 2023 as well and to have complete global coverage for Starlinks’ satellite internet.

Alongside their mother company SpaceX, they are planning to launch another 9,000 satellites to achieve these goals by the end of 2023. They are also going to keep steadily increasing the speed of the internet service over time.

The History Of Standard Broadband

The history of standard broadband began in the late 1980s when computer networks became popular in homes and businesses. At that time, dial-up was the only option available for people who wanted to access these networks. Dial-up connections were extremely slow and unreliable. They also required users to constantly dial into their ISPs every time they wanted to use the Internet instead of using a permanent connection like DSL or cable modems do today.

In the 1990s, new technologies emerged that allowed ISPs to offer faster speeds over copper telephone lines such as ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). In 2001, they introduced broadband with greater speeds and freedom from dialing into the ISP.

A few months later and standard broadband would cover most of the U.S. and many other countries. It quickly became the most commonly used form of internet access.

Although standard broadband is truly amazing, it has one enormous drawback, which is its speed.

Most broadband companies can only offer speeds of up to 25 Mbps. This is because they only have access to a limited amount of bandwidth that needs to be shared by everyone.

Starlink vs. Standard Broadband: 9 Must-Know Facts

• Starlink is a satellite internet service, so it can be used anywhere. Currently, they are only available in 34 countries.
• Standard Broadband relies on landlines, which means that you need a physical line to your house to access the internet.
• Starlink provides faster speeds than Standard Broadband and has lower latency, which is great for gaming and streaming.
• Neither are available everywhere—at least not yet. Starlink will go fully global in early 2023.
• The catch with Standard Broadband is that you need to live in an area where there are existing landlines for it to work. If there aren’t any available, then you can’t get it.
• Starlink relies on satellite technology, which means it’s available anywhere in the world where there’s a clear view of the sky.
• SpaceX has the only reusable rocket capable of taking satellites into orbit.
• The Falcon 9 rocket can carry up to 60 satellites on a launch.
• The major difference between Starlink and standard broadband is that Starlink uses satellites to deliver a signal to your home, whereas standard broadband uses copper or fiber optic cables.

Starlink vs. Standard Broadband: Which is the Best?

If you need high-speed internet access to stream video or play online games, then standard broadband probably won’t cut it. In addition, if your home has multiple devices that connect to the internet at once (like smart TVs, gaming consoles, and smartphones), standard broadband might not handle all of them at once. 

While Standard Broadband is less expensive, it’s not fast enough for many people’s needs. If you want to take advantage of all that the internet offers, then Starlink is where it’s at.

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