Ookla has released data compiled from Speedtests to outline how SpaceX’s Starlink internet service performed across Canada in Q1 2021.
The report outlines that Starlink’s Q1 2021 median download speeds showed a low of 53.61Mbps in Ontario and a high of 80.57Mbps in Saskatchewan.
“In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Starlink customers reported median download speeds 59.6 percent and 38.5 percent faster than those for all other fixed broadband providers combined,” the report outlines.
In Quebec, median download speeds were nearly equal, as Starlink performed only 3.4 percent slower compared to fixed broadband providers.
“In B.C., Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick, on the other hand, Starlink’s median download speeds were 20.9 percent, 24.2 percent, 29.5 percent and 40.7 percent slower than other fixed broadband providers, respectively,” Ookla notes.
The report found that Starlink’s latency was higher in all provinces surveyed during Q1 2021 when compared to all other providers.
“With median latency values from 34 ms (B.C.) to 61 ms (Saskatchewan), Starlink’s latency was 209.1 percent to 369.2 percent higher than that of all other providers combined,” Ookla outlines.
Ookla states that given this data, Starlink could provide a cost-effective solution that can significantly improve rural broadband access without the need for thousands of miles of fibre.
It also notes that although these initial results are promising in some areas, it’s worth noting that it’s still early days for Starlink as the service is still in beta and performance is expected to improve as more satellites are launched.
For instance, Elon Musk has stated that improvement will be coming later this year. In a recent tweet, Musk noted that “speed will double to ~300Mb/s & latency will drop to ~20ms later this year.”
In Canada, the hardware for Starlink is priced at $649, shipping costs $65, taxes come to $92 and the service costs $129 per month. These charges bring the startup cost to a total of $806.
You can learn more about the service in MobileSyrup‘s guide here.
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