Are you a Starlink user?
Starlink is the satellite Internet service started by Elon Musk. Unlink earlier technology providers like Dish Network, Starlink’s birds fly a lot lower and this improves latency. (I briefly worked in the satellite industry and can use insider lingo like “birds”).
Starlink promises 50Mbps to 200Mbps speeds, and it should be very easy for them to manage capacity, since they know the exact spot on the Earth each subscriber is at and every metric of their usage. But things have not been going smoothly, PCMag reports.
…in recent weeks, some customers in various locations across North America have encountered drastically reduced internet quality with Starlink, a service they had hoped would fix their broadband problems for good.
Early reports were very favorable but with the launch of Starlink RV, the waiting lists were effectively abandoned and the floodgates opened, causing throughput to plunge.
“We are aware of customers reporting lower download/upload speed. These fluctuations are due to congestion in certain areas and peak usage times,” the company told one US-based user in a customer support message shared with PCMag. “We expect improvements as we fully deploy our satellite constellation with future launches,” the message added.
The service has the potential to be transformative, because there are still vast swaths of many countries which have poor to no Internet connectivity. But the service is still a long way from being fully scaled up.
Comments in our recent discussion on LowEndTalk are more positive
If you’re a subscriber – how is your service? Please comment below!
I also enjoy using LEBs! I have an empire of little guys for VPNs, larger guys for apps, and big guys for databases and storage. When I'm not in front a screen I'm into German Shepherd dogs, quality knives, target shooting, theology, tabletop roleplaying games, and forest hiking.
I enjoy writing technical articles here on LowEndBox to help people get more out of their systems. You can find me on LowEndTalk @raindog308
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Hopefully Starlink can catch up to demand by adding more launches to their schedule. If they oversubscribe the system and speeds continue to falter it’s going to damage their brand.