Starlink Won’t Be the Broadband Game Changer You Think

It’s unlikely that Elon Musk’s Starlink, a next-generation satellite broadband service, is the silver bullet for the country’s broadband access woes. Starlink will be a good thing for many without broadband or those stuck on antiquated DSL, and while early reviews have been mixed, the beta service currently offers download speeds around 100 Mbps for $100 a month (plus a $500 equipment charge). Yet for many rural Americans, high broadband prices due to limited competition are the primary reason they don’t have it, and a $100 per month charge—plus a $500 up front equipment fee, something Musk says should get cheaper over time—will likely keep the service out of the reach of many. The problem is also how many users will actually be able to get service. Limited satellite capacity means limited signup slots, many of which will be quickly gobbled up by Elon Musk fans eager to advertise their unwavering fealty to the planet’s second-wealthiest human. That could leave many without access left out in the cold. For context, between 20 and 42 million Americans lack access to broadband and 83 million live under a broadband monopoly. There’s simply no way Starlink can get anywhere close to making a dent in a problem this size. That’s not to say that Starlink won’t have a role to play in improving broadband access, just that anybody expecting a major revolution may want to temper their enthusiasm.