If you live in a rural area or remote place, getting hold of a decent internet connection is quite an obstacle.
Either the prices are high, or you get slow speed and high latency connectivity. Or even worse, both.
Thankfully Starlink started to change that equation.
Starlink serves high speed low latency internet on remote places using satellites. Also, Starlink uses a simple subscription plan (no complex contracts).
Now comes the big question, is Starlink available in your area?
This post will guide you to finding out if Starlink is available in your area.
You will also learn how to order Starlink if it’s available in your area, or how long to wait for it.
So keep reading the post till the end.
How To Find Out If Starlink Is Available In Your Area
Starlink promises high speed (up to 500 Mbps) and low latency (as low as 20ms) internet. Reviews from current Starlink users are highly positive.
However, Starlink is a satellite internet connection. It depends on the satellite deployment and also other factors like government approval.
So Starlink is not readily available across the world. You need to check if Starlink is available in your location, and then you can get one easily.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to check Starlink presence in your region. You can do so using the Starlink website. Starlink website has an interactive map where the different regions are highlighted according to if Starlink is available, unavailable or you need to wait.
You don’t need to worry about creating an account or subscribing to Starlink. Anyone can use the tool on Starlink website to check availability without any restrictions.
Follow the steps below to check if Starlink is available in your area:
- Go to the Starlink website.
- Click on the “Check Availability” link. You will see a map highlighting the countries where Starlink is available, on the waitlist or unavailable. You can click or hover the cursor over a country to see details.
- Drag and zoom in on your region. You will see small hexagons marking the regions and highlighting them according to if Starlink is “available“, “waitlist” or “coming soon“. You can hover the mouse cursor to learn the estimated time for availability.
- Type your address in the below box. Once you start typing, suggestions will appear and you can select one from the suggestions. If you cannot find the exact location, select any area close to your address.
- Click on the Order Now button below the box. You will get to know about Starlink availability in your place. If Starlink is available, you will see a message mentioning if you can order now or make a pre-order.
Depending on the message, you can either pay a reservation deposit or the full amount to complete the order. Refer to the next section to know how to complete the order.
How To Get A Starlink Internet Connection
After ensuring Starlink is available in your place, you can proceed to complete the order and get a Starlink connection.
Here is the procedure:
- Go to the Starlink website.
- Enter your address in the box.
- Click on the Order Now button.
- If you see something like “Order now to reserve your Starlink. Starlink expects to expand service in your area in 20XX”, which means that Starlink doesn’t have enough satellites to provide connectivity to all users. Once Starlink deploys new satellites in that region, people in the wait-list will get a connection. You can pay $99 (fully refundable) to get into the wait-list. Starlink will mention an estimate of when you will get the connection.
- If you see the “Service for this order is only guaranteed at this location” message, you can get the Starlink connection instantly. Pay $599 (without shipping, handling and tax) for Dishy and other accessories and the installation kit will be sent to you.
Remember that you have to Install the Dishy and other accessories yourself. On the bright side, installation steps are explained in detail and the Starlink app will guide you through.
Where Is Starlink Available?
Since Starlink depends on the number of satellites orbiting the Earth for coverage (and other factors), it’s taking time to be available across the globe.
Also, you cannot get instant connection even if Starlink is available in your location. Due to a shortage of satellites, there is an upper limit of Starlink users in any given area at the moment. In that case, you have to get into the wait-list.
53 satellite launches have deployed about 2700 satellites into low-Earth-orbit, but that’s roughly 20% of Starlink’s target.
As more satellites get deployed, the number of users at any given place will increase, as will the coverage region.
You can check Starlink availability using the Starlink website. The detailed process is given in one of the sections above.
Why Is Starlink Not Available In My Area?
The availability of Starlink depends on some factors. Let’s go through them one by one so that you can understand it better.
Starlink is a satellite internet connection. It means that Starlink uses satellites up in the sky to connect you with the internet.
You get a dish antenna (known as Dishy) that continuously sends and receives data from satellites located 550 km above the ground. These satellites are further connected to the ground stations.
Satellite internet does not face the obstacle that a typical submarine internet faces (like laying out and maintaining under-sea cables, running cables over towers for hundreds of kilometers, etc.). So it’s pretty easy for satellite internet like Starlink to reach rural and remote areas.
However, there is a limit to how many Dishys a single satellite can communicate with at a time. So the satellite density depends on the number of users at any location.
Also, due to the movement of the Earth, the satellites need to move at a certain speed. Hence Starlink needs enough satellites to ensure at least one satellite is within the range of a Dishy to maintain continuous connection.
That’s why Starlink is taking time to roll out across the world. Satellites need time to make, launch to space and deploy. The more satellites Starlink can deploy, the more will be the internet coverage.
Starlink availability also depends on the availability of Silicon. A large array of 1280 antennas send and receive data from the satellite. The Dishy has a PCB containing 640 microchips and 20 larger microchips to control the 1280 antennas.
Due to the current silicon shortage, the production of Dishy slowed down which resulted in a long backlog of preorders.
You would see some places on the map where Starlink is available but has reached full capacity. It is due to the absence of enough satellites.
Lastly, the Starlink availability depends on government approval. Starlink needs permission to fly satellites above a country, give internet connection and collect subscription fees. Some countries can have a lengthy regulatory process which delays Starlink connection.
Should I Get A Starlink Connection?
Whether you should get a Starlink connection or not depends mainly on where you live.
If you live in a rural or remote place where broadband connection is expensive, slow or completely unavailable, you should get a Starlink connection.
But if you live in an urban area (or close to it), a broadband connection will be the better choice. The reason is, Starlink satellites can communicate with a limited number of users (or Dishy) at a time.
Hence densely populated areas won’t work well with Starlink. Also, Starlink will be more expensive than the broadband in urban areas.
FAQ
Question: When will Starlink internet be available?
Answer: Starlink internet will be available as soon as the satellite constellation has finished building over your region. You can check the Starlink website for estimated time of availability.
Question: How long will I wait on the Starlink waitlist?
Answer: The wait time for Starlink connection varies wildly. Some people in the wait-list wait for 6 months, while others well over a year. The wait-list will mention the estimated time of availability.
Final Thoughts
Starlink promises low latency and high speed internet for remote and rural places at an affordable price.
Starlink relies on the satellite constellation to be available across regions. As such, it’s not available in many places.
You can use the Starlink website to check if Starlink is available in your place. Given Starlink is available, you can either get an instant connection or get into the wait-list.
