Another item on Musk’s dream list has been realized (so awesome)! The SpaceX Starlink satellite network plan (also known as Starlink), which was first tested in 2018 and has launched 600 satellites so far, was in beta test a while ago. Finally officially launched. Although SpaceX has previously stated that these satellites are deployed in low-Earth orbit and the radio wave propagation time is shorter, which can achieve low network latency, both the FCC and many foreign media believe it is impossible. As a result, recent measured data has emerged. The network speed is not only very good, but also far lower than the 100ms required by the FCC.
According to foreign media reports, an anonymous user recently shared the Starlink Beta version on the Reddit forum From the actual speed measurement, we can see that the ping value is not only about 50ms on average, but the highest download speed can reach 60.24Mbps, and the upload speed is almost 10Mbps or above. At this speed, whether playing games, watching Netflix or YouTube videos, Even downloading things is not a problem:
Here is a summary of the recently found Starlink speed tests from r/Starlink
Although the network delay has not reached the sub-20ms goal proposed by Musk in March, it has It is far lower than the 100ms required by the FCC, and also exceeds the Internet speed in many rural areas of the United States today, so it is not surprising that it immediately aroused heated discussions among American users.
In fact, another post measured a number that is very close to the target. , Ping is only 20ms, and the upload and download speeds are almost the same:
List of Confirmed Starlink Speed Tests from r/Starlink
However, it should be noted that this is a Beta test version after all, and its speed must be somewhat different from the final launch. SpacesX has also claimed that Starlink will eventually reach Gbps speeds, providing low-latency satellite networks for consumers in the United States and around the world.
Having said that, even if it does not reach Gbps, I believe that the current speed can satisfy most People's demand for Internet access is really great. I never thought that satellite networks could have such high-speed performance. In this way, maybe there will be Internet available in deep mountains in the future
Some people may wonder, then Why is the satellite network speed of airplanes so slow? This is because Starlink is deployed in low-Earth orbit, between 99 and 1,200 miles, very close to the earth. Traditional satellites are 22,000 miles away.
Although Starlink’s satellite network The road is quite exciting, but it is not without its shortcomings. These satellites have had a huge impact on astronomical observations. Last month, someone shared that the observation photos they took so hard were destroyed by the light pollution of the satellites. For detailed reports, please click here to read:
SpaceX Starlink will initially be available to users in Canada and North America this year for application, and plans to expand to other parts of the world in 2021. The details of which countries have not yet been announced, but the price is not cheap and is more expensive than today's optical fiber. It is expected The monthly fee is 80 US dollars (approximately NT$2,400), and the network speed is 10Mbps.
Reference source: arstechnica
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