Reports indicate that Americans are clearly interested in both Starlink and SpaceX 5G broadband as potential home internet services. But so far it is not clear which option is more attractive compared to traditional cable broadband. Some reports they show that Americans are more interested in Starlink, while others indicate that most people aren’t sure if they would use one over the other, or whatever. The demand for a better Internet is obviously due to [gestures at everything], but it is clear that there is some confusion as to what type of internet connection will be best. So let’s dive in to clarify.
First of all, where you live will probably determine if you will get better internet from Starlink or via 5G. SpaceX’s Starlink is a satellite internet service, which means it works best with a clear view of the sky in open spaces. Storms, trees, buildings, snow, or any other natural or artificial obstruction can weaken the signal or drop the Internet connection together. Data packets and other virtual information are literally shrunk from space, so if any of these things get in the way, your internet is likely to become fashionable.
Not only that, but there is a finite amount of bandwidth that a satellite can provide to users, so too many users connected to a terminal have a lower internet speed at home. Starlink’s skeptical critics have pointed to these challenges in the following months the FCC award of br. ruralodband fund to the service not yet proven.
“My concern is not the capacity of one or two users, but what happens when you reach 20 or 30 or 40 or 50,000 users. Obviously, you have to share the same constellation across the country, “said Tim Bryan, CEO of the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative during a recent press conference. “I have no doubt that the constellation of Starlink could be successful in some areas, especially in things like the deep blue seas. I strive to see how it will provide a reliable 100 megabit service to the hundreds and thousands of customers in the census block groups it offered. “
5G has an advantage over Starlink in terms of reliable service, as it is built on existing cellular infrastructure. Achieve 5G service at home, you need to put an antenna or a small receiver / transmitter in your home, which can ping a 5G antenna at a nearby cell tower. 5G signals emit your home, and then a wifi router protects your space with wireless internet.
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People living in cities and rural towns will have more chances with Starlink, if they can afford it, than with 5G, unless telecommunications invest in providing service to their areas. People living in rural cities will have more chances with Starlink, if they can afford it, than with 5G, unless telecommunications invests in serving their areas. For mmWave 5G you need more towers because the higher frequency speed moves at much shorter distances. For slower, 5G medium to low bandwidth, existing towers will work. (Basically, don’t expect fast internet access in rural areas.)
T-Mobile has said it plans to have 9.5 million 5G Home subscribers by 2024. Verizon’s own 5G Hhome delivery is still incredibly limited — in specific parts of specific cities — and the carrier has not indicated how many people it hopes to attract.
Starlink has only 10,000 customers at the moment, though that number could increase quickly because SpaceX has recently opened orders for its satellite internet service. Maybe if or when the company announces their booking numbers, we will have a better idea of the demand for their satellite internet service. The company applied for permission from the FCC to deploy up to 5 million user terminals last August for reasons of interest. But the question remains whether SpaceX will launch enough satellites to cover the areas it needs to cover and provide reliable service.
Depending on where you live, any option may not be better than broadband or fiber cable. But for underserved and unserved areas that do not have a reliable internet service, a problem that affects 19 million Americans—Large Internet service providers are falling for work. No wonder Starlink sounds appealing: to these people, satellite Internet may seem like the only real option.
Are you a Starlink customer? Email me at [email protected] and let me know what your experience has been like.