Ookla reported that SpaceX’s Starlink internet download speeds have decreased once again this quarter
In a recent report, Ookla noted that a spike in new users had caused SpaceX’s Starlink internet download rates to drop once more this quarter—by double digits, in fact. Customers who can afford it continue to sign up for SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, especially in areas with scarce or nonexistent land-based infrastructure and connectivity.
From having at least 10 unique users in 776 U.S. counties (approximately 25% of all counties in Q2-Q3 2021) to 2,399 counties (about 75% of counties in Q2-Q3 2022) during the course of the year, the number of active subscribers in the country climbed by about 200%. The increased traffic and strain on Starlink’s constellation, however, have reduced download speeds within the same time frame. Users in the US have reported speed reductions of up to 17%, while Canadian users have reported speed reductions of at least 14%. It appears that upload speeds are unaffected.
Despite this, consumers in the US and Canada are still receiving speeds of more than 50 Mbps down on average, which is more than enough for media consumption activities like 4K streaming or video conferencing. Gamers who play online multiplayer games, however, can experience more slowness. The fastest Starlink was available in South America, Brazil, and Chile, while in North America it was available in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Elon Musk’s internet service has just removed its unlimited data policy, which has resulted in increased congestion. Users that use more than 1 TB per month during peak hours will now be deprioritized as a result. Instead, a more expensive tiered system was implemented to help distribute the bandwidth.