Is Starlink Available In Your Area?

Starlink is available across the U.S., including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. 

All of North America, Australia, and Europe have access to Starlink, which is also available in various other countries around the world. Starlink can only be sold and activated in countries that have approved its use, though there have been known ways around this.

Not all locations are equal when it comes to the quality of download speeds and latency. As you can see from the coverage map below, higher speeds are obtainable in the western U.S. as opposed to the east. Check Starlink’s interactable coverage map to see how speeds fare in your hometown and if they’re enough for your needs.

Because Starlink is continually building its network, its speed and availability map is always changing.

When Starlink first launched, early adaptors had to sign up for a waitlist to get a kit. Now that SpaceX has launched enough low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites and built enough ground terminals, just about anyone can get a Starlink kit.

Starlink kits were originally only available for purchase from SpaceX directly on the website. However, kits can now be purchased either online or in-store, if available, from select retailers. You can potentially drive to your local store (including Best Buy, Home Deport, or Target) and simply pick a kit up instead of waiting for one to be shipped to you. Plus, different retailers offer different perks, like membership programs, credit card rewards, and different return policies.

Starlink on the move

Starlink Mobile is the service’s answer for people on the move, like in an RV or a truck. This version of the service is a bit more expensive, especially if you opt for high-performance equipment that allows you to connect with Starlink while you’re in motion.

The speeds you receive while using Starlink Mobile will entirely depend on where you are, and no speeds are ever guaranteed. If you’re not getting adequate performance, then the only thing you can do sometimes is move to a different location.

Starlink priority plans

The speed of your Starlink internet service will also depend on whether you’re using a plan that includes Priority Data. Since you’re connecting to the same satellites as thousands of Starlink customers, only so much bandwidth can be shared. If you selected a plan that includes priority data you’ll be given, well, priority—ensuring you get the fastest speeds available.

As we just mentioned, Starlink offers faster speeds and lower latency than most other satellite providers, but it can get sluggish if you're in an area with lots of fellow customers. So we thought we’d show you a side-by-side comparison with other satellite internet providers so you can compare all of their features, including things like price and data caps.

Starlink’s specific expansion plans are not totally set in stone. However, the company clearly has a focus on the African continent, now that it has expanded its operations to everyone in North America and much of Europe. We expect several more countries there to have access to Starlink in the coming months.

Starlink’s coverage map (featured below) also shows that service will begin in 2024 in several countries, including huge markets like Pakistan, India, and South Africa.

If you’re waiting for Starlink to come to your part of the globe, the best thing to do is search for your address on the company’s website and sign up for the waitlist. It requires a small deposit, which will put you in line to receive your dish. 

Instead of traditional land-based infrastructure like cables or phone lines, satellite internet relies on a network of advanced satellites in space. It's like having your own personal communication link to the digital world, delivered from the skies. These satellites orbit the Earth, beaming internet signals to and from your home through a small dish receiver, similar to a satellite TV dish.

This means you don't need to worry about the complex cables or wires you might associate with other types of internet. And unlike 4G or 5G internet (like that offered by T-Mobile), you don’t even need to be close to a cell phone tower. All you need is a clear view of the sky to communicate with the satellites.

The simplicity of satellite internet makes it an excellent choice in remote or rural areas, where other options might be limited. It’s also a great option for those who are constantly on the go, like those who live in RVs or on boats, since you can bring your service with you.

While satellite internet has a lot of benefits, it can be susceptible to interruptions from the weather and other obstructions, such as trees. And even when it’s working at full capacity, satellite internet is not nearly as fast as some other options, like fiber internet.

Not all satellite internet providers use the same satellites, or even the same kind of satellites. There are two main types of satellites that companies like Starlink use: Low-Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO).

LEO satellites orbit the Earth at altitudes typically ranging from about 100 to 1,300 miles above the surface. These satellites are relatively close to the Earth, which results in low latency communication (which is good for online gaming and other high-demand online activities).

Starlink’s SpaceX satellites are LEO satellites, which is one of the reasons that the service has such high speeds and low latency. According to SatelliteInternet.com’s proprietary data gathered from almost million different speed tests taken across the country, Starlink’s average national speed is 48Mbps and its average latency is just 47 ms.

Compared to the average latency for satellite internet (594–624 ms), that’s a significant improvement. That’s because other providers, like Viasat and Hughesnet, use GEO satellites.

GEO satellites are positioned at a fixed point in the sky, approximately 22,000 miles above the Earth's equator. These satellites move at the same rotational speed as the Earth, so they actually appear stationary when you look up at them. This characteristic makes them ideal for services that require constant coverage of a specific geographic area, such as television broadcasting and weather monitoring. The drawback is, due to the distance from Earth, the latency is much higher.

While Starlink is currently the provider with the biggest fleet of LEO satellites, Hughesnet is working on fusing LEO and GEO satellites into a single system. Actually, it turns out that Viasat is as well. Hopefully this means satellite internet will be faster and more responsive in the coming years for all customers.