Is Starlink as Fast as Fiber? [What the Tests Show]

Being a user of both fiber internet and Starlink, I decided to spell out the speed differences between the two internet choices.

Starlink is much slower than a regular fiber connection. A typical fiber connection can provide very stable download speeds up to 5 Gbps, whereas Starlink can only go up to 500 Mbps with highly favorable conditions.

Is Starlink as Fast as Fiber? Speeds and Latency

Given below is a brief comparison of the speeds and latency you can expect from Starlink compared to fiber internet.

	Download Speeds	Upload speeds	Latency	Data caps
Starlink satellite internet	50-500 Mbps	10-20 Mbps	25-50 ms	1 TB
Viasat satellite internet	25-150 Mbps	4 Mbps	500-800 ms	40-300 GB
AT&T Fiber	300 Mbps-5 Gbps	300 Mbps-5 Gbps	10-15 ms	No cap
Google Fiber	1-2 Gbps	1 Gbps	10-16 ms	No cap

Starlink Speed and Latency

Compared to competing satellite internet providers, Starlink provides significantly faster internet, mostly thanks to how much closer their satellites are to the surface of the earth.

With their plans ranging between download speeds of 50-500 Mbps and upload speeds of 10-20 Mbps, Starlink has carved a very good niche for internet users in remote locations.

The latency is also not terrible, at 25-50 ms putting it very comfortably in the range of speeds and latency you would expect from a regular copper cable internet connection.

The speeds and latency are enough even for casual gamers to enjoy a session with their friends without facing any major hiccups.

Starlink also had no data cap and provided unlimited data for a good while, till they brought a 1 TB cap across all their plans owing to 'fair use'.

Still, compared to Viasat, Starlink provides much more usable speeds and data for users.

Fiber Internet Speed and Latency

Just by looking at the two fiber plans, it is safe to say that they are leagues ahead of what any satellite-based internet connection can hope to achieve in the current scenario.

They simply provide insane speeds, with plans touching 5 Gbps for both upload and download, great latency, and to top it all off, no data caps.

Verdict

Fiber internet connections are simply better in this regard.

Satellite internet connections have a glimmer of hope in that it is a more convenient means of connectivity that has the potential to cover the whole globe.

But when it comes to speeds and latency, a wired connection will always prove to be superior to any wireless standard.

Starlink vs Fiber: Pricing and Cost of Hardware

Given below is a brief comparison of the pricing and hardware costs you can expect from Starlink compared to competing fiber plans:

	Cost of plans	Hardware fee	Hidden charges
Starlink satellite internet	$90-$25000	$599-$150,000	None
Viasat satellite internet	$99.99-$300	$299.99	Yes
AT&T Fiber	$55-$180	No fee	Yes
Google Fiber	$70-$100	No fee	None

Starlink Pricing

Starlink offers a good selection of plans for its customers, at semi-reasonable prices.

The $90 to $5000 variation in plans can seem extreme at first glance, but that is primarily due to the structuring of Starlink plans.

Starlink uses a structure that categorizes your use case instead of speeds or data.

The $90 plan is for regular Starlink Residential ($120 for low-traffic areas) customers, whereas the $25,000 is for Starlink Aviation customers who require the service on their planes.

The extreme range in hardware fees is also due to the same reason, in that the $599 is for regular customers whereas the $150,000 is for Starlink Aviation.

Starlink also do not have hidden charges, so you won't have to worry about your bills shooting up unexpectedly.

Viasat, on the other hand, can seem to provide a worse service at a very similar price point.

The hardware fee can seem lower than Starlink's, but they get back by including a lot of hidden charges and unwanted services.

One such hidden expense is the usual price hike of about 20% after a set amount of time.

They also provide Viasat premium customer care subscriptions that can further put a dent in your bills.

Fiber Pricing

Fiber plans are priced much more reasonable for the services that they provide.

This is primarily due to the fact that fiber is a much more inexpensive ordeal, compared to satellite internet (at least for now).

Services like Google Fiber and AT&T also negate your hardware fee if you choose their fiber plans.

Google does not hold any hidden charges, but AT&T is similar to how Viasat works in that they also hike their prices after a while, and have premium optional subscriptions.

Verdict

Fiber takes the cake here too, considering the value proposition they bring to the table

Starlink vs Fiber: Accessibility and Dependability

There is a stark contrast as to how accessible and dependable a Starlink satellite internet connection is from a typical fiber connection.

In most cases, it is reliant on the modus operandi of both services, but there are other key factors as well that culminate to provide totally different results.

Starlink Reliability

Starlink, thanks to its massive active satellite constellations in orbit, provides an immense leap in how accessible the service is to the masses.

In fact, Starlink is the go-to for a lot of folks residing in remote locations, or for someone who wants to have a solid internet connection on the road or at sea.

Starlink also has plans depending on the occasion and environment of use, such as Starlink Maritime for boats, Starlink RV for users on the road, and Starlink Aviation.

Global coverage is the main selling point of a product like Starlink, and the hardware you need to gain access to the internet is also simple and easy to set up.

But Starlink is still a new company and has miles yet to go for proper support all around the globe.

Despite their satellites covering all continents, Starlink is yet to provide its service to all countries, leading many disappointed over its availability.

There is also a waitlist in place for new customers due to an increase in demand for Starlink.

Although there are workarounds, you would still have to wait quite some time in order to get your hands on Starlink.

The dependability of Starlink connectivity, on the other hand, is not something we can generalize and depends on the region and environment where you have set up the connection.

Starlink relies heavily on establishing a communication channel wirelessly with the Starlink satellite constellations above.

If it fails to set up that channel due to obstructions in its line of sight, then the connection will definitely fail.

These obstructions can be in the form of weather conditions, physical obstacles blocking the line of sight, or even the lack of a satellite constellation above you.

Although it is not a huge deal, and Starlink dishes are more than capable of handling a shower or snowfall, you might be susceptible to speed drops.

Fiber Internet Reliability

Since fiber relies on a solid wired connection between your ISP and your internet modem, the reach of such connections to remote areas might take a hit.

Your ISP would have to explicitly support that specific remote location and lay necessary hardware in that location for you to gain internet access.

But once the optic fiber cables are set up, then you can rest assured that the connection you get will be stable and as optimal as possible.

Since the cables are usually laid under the ground, weather and other obstacles have little to no effect on the signal, and therefore you get great speeds and latency.

It is also easier for your ISP to troubleshoot errors with your internet due to the wired connectivity of fiber internet.

Verdict

When it comes to accessibility to the internet, Starlink comes out on top due to its insane coverage and the fact that it does not need any complicated hardware.

But a wired fiber connection is much more reliable and provides much better speeds without many fluctuations.

As of now, Starlinks still has miles to go in order to reach a point where it is as reliable as a wired fiber internet connection.

Also, with more wireless internet standards such as 4G and 5G gaining traction, it might be hard for Starlink to make customers stick to their platform.

Starlink vs Fiber: How they Work

When it comes to a comparison between two internet services, it is imperative to understand the mode of operation of both technologies.

This allows us to further go in-depth on the pros and cons of each system and therefore allows us to analyze the whole setup at a much more microscopic scale.

Starlink

Like Amazon's Project Kuiper, Starlink operates using their satellite constellations that orbit the earth in the low earth orbit, which is roughly 340 miles above sea level.

These satellites are used to communicate with ground stations or receivers for internet connection.

There are more than 3,300 Starlink satellites currently orbiting the Earth across all continents.

This is drastically different from a satellite internet connection received from a geostationary satellite, from the likes of companies such as Viasat.

Viasat and Hughesnet rely on using a single massive satellite that orbits the earth in the geostationary orbit, which is 22,000 miles above sea level.

Fiber Internet

Fiber broadband utilizes fiber optic cables in order to send and receive data.

This means that fiber internet requires a wired connection between your internet modem and your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

The conventional and traditional method of internet connectivity was through standard copper cables, which are much slower for data transfers than fiber optic cables.

Verdict

Both technologies work in drastically different ways, with each having its own drawbacks and benefits.

Starlink offers an internet connection wirelessly to a Starlink receiver/dish, and its massive global coverage means you will gain access to the internet even in remote locations.

But this also means that the internet speeds can suffer due to signal loss while wireless data transfer, and is also susceptible to obstructions such as weather conditions.

Fiber, on the other hand, connects to your internet modem in a wired fashion, meaning the signal loss will be drastically lower leading to better speeds and reliability.

But the wired connection restricts the coverage of the internet connection to remote locations outside the ISP's domain, or to locations surrounded by water.

Final Thoughts

If you have queries regarding Starlink, you can try contacting them directly or visit their Starlink support page.

I hope my article on whether Starlink is as fast as fiber, and the comparison between the two has been a worthwhile read and has aided you with the same.

Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Starlink have a fiber connection service?

Starlink relies only on utilizing its Starlink satellite constellation to provide internet connection and does not offer any wired fiber internet solutions.

Is Starlink owned by Elon Musk?

Starlink is a division of SpaceX, of which Elon Musk is the CEO and holds almost half of the company's equity, making Musk an owner.

You May Also Enjoy Reading

• Does VoIP Work With Starlink? We Did the Research
• VPN on Starlink: How to Make it Work [2022]
• Is Starlink Still in Beta? Official Announcement [2022]
• Does Starlink offer Satellite Phone Service? [2022]
• Can You Cancel Starlink Internet Anytime? [2022]