-
I had high expectations when Starlink, a residential satellite internet provider owned by SpaceX, was first announced. Where I live in rural Kansas, there isn’t much access to reliable high-speed internet. I’ve had to make do throughout the past 11 years with a hotspot on an original Verizon data-only plan, HughesNet satellite internet, US Cellular home internet, local fixed wireless, T-Mobile Home Internet, and more. However as of the spring of 2021, Starlink has been the main provider of internet service for my house.
Don’t misunderstand me. I wouldn’t have been able to cut the cord, work from home, or take advantage of other contemporary connected amenities that I now take advantage of without Starlink. Initially, I rarely disconnected and my speeds ranged from 100 to 150/10 to 25 Mbps. If I was lucky, this was almost life-changing coming from 15/3.
Yet not only has the cost of using these low-orbit satellites to power my internet increased by $30 a month, but the speeds and dependability have also dramatically declined. I’ve spoken to several Starlink users in my region, and we’ve all noticed that since January, our speeds have fluctuated between 30 and 50 kbps and frequently gone down. I am aware that Starlink claims the service I am receiving complies with their standards. If it were dependable and constant, as well as if I weren’t being taxed $120 a month, I could deal with it.
The Kansas Office of Broadband Development recently held a town hall meeting where there was a discussion regarding the state of the internet in Kansas. It was both startling and unsurprising to hear how astonished the hosts were that businesses as well as households were being negatively impacted by the poor status of rural internet. One family with a sizable farming operation—which includes both cattle and crops—mentioned that there are occasions when they are unable to even make phone calls in the field due to poor broadband or mobile access. They also mentioned how because their home connection is unstable, they frequently miss important market moves. These people’s livelihoods are at stake; connectivity is only one aspect of this.
Despite all of this hassle, I haven’t stopped using Starlink. When I enter my address on its website, I am informed that I am on a waiting list, which is one reason why I’m unsure if I could obtain it again. As I own the equipment, I would love to ask the Starlink support staff for more details, but I am unable to do so because there is no email address, phone number, live chat feature, or other way to contact support. Previously, it was possible to send the team a message through the app, but that option is no longer available. I’ve only needed to contact the support service twice, and both times they responded quickly when I needed an answer to a topic that wasn’t addressed in any FAQs.
Starlink is billed as a type of rescuer for communities like mine that are mistreated by either poor internet or no internet at all. In a sense, Starlink played a major role in enabling me to pursue my dream of working as a full-time mobile phone editor. But purchasing the service was always pricey. If Starlink internet is offered at your address, you must purchase the equipment, which costs $599 and is non-refundable after 30 days, according to the company’s website. In addition to the cost, having to install the dish and wire everything yourself made paying the $599 Starlink fee painful.
There is optimism that more people will have access to dependable and affordable internet thanks to the reinvigorated push to increase broadband coverage in my state and other locations as well. But with Starlink, it might not be.