Starlink, the LEOsat (low Earth orbit satellite) service, has achieved impressive download speeds in multiple countries. In Q2 2023, Ookla’s Speedtest measured Starlink’s median download speeds of over 100Mbps in 14 countries, over 90Mbps in 20 countries, and over 80Mbps in 24 countries among the 27 European countries surveyed. Starlink’s speeds improved or remained stable quarter-to-quarter in 23 countries, with only four countries experiencing decreased speeds.

Year-over-year, Starlink’s download speeds remained the same or improved in 15 countries, but slowed down in eight countries. Interestingly, when compared to the aggregate speeds of all fixed broadband providers, Starlink offered faster download speeds in 11 countries. Notably, Starlink performed exceptionally well in Croatia and Greece.

Starlink’s upload speeds generally declined year-over-year, although quarter-to-quarter speeds either remained stable or improved in most countries. Additionally, Starlink’s upload speeds ranged between 10Mbps and 15Mbps across the countries surveyed, except for specific outliers like Portugal, Hungary, and Croatia.

In terms of satellite competitors, Skylogic and Viasat offered relatively steady broadband speeds, although slower than Starlink. Skylogic recorded median download speeds ranging from 19.53Mbps to 68.44Mbps, while Viasat achieved speeds of 17.22Mbps in Germany and 17.45Mbps in Italy during Q2 2023.

Latency is an area where Starlink falls behind fixed broadband providers. However, Starlink still managed to maintain low multi-server latencies in countries like the UK, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium.

Despite some countries blocking Starlink services, it has shown promise in Africa since its launch in Nigeria earlier this year. Starlink exhibited faster download speeds than aggregate fixed broadband providers in Nigeria and Rwanda, although upload speeds varied. However, Starlink’s multi-server latency in Africa was higher than that of fixed broadband providers.

Though Starlink has experienced significant revenue growth and secured active subscribers, it has fallen short of initial expectations. Its high cost makes it more appealing to rural subscribers who can afford it. Additionally, there may be reduced government subsidies available for such areas in the future.