Determining the Right Internet for You – How Starlink and Cable Compare

Wondering whether emerging satellite broadband services like Starlink or proven cable internet makes the best connectivity choice for your home or business? As fiber, cable, wireless and other options continue proliferating, selecting what works optimally can get confusing.

This guide examines key factors including availability, speed, reliability, pricing and more to provide you recommendations based on your location and usage requirements. Let‘s compare cable and satellite head-to-head across the core areas that drive service experience so you can determine what internet type fits your needs best!

Introducing Starlink and Traditional Cable Internet

First, what exactly are we comparing?

What is Starlink?

Starlink provides broadband internet access via a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites built out by Elon Musk‘s SpaceX. Over 2,000 have activated so far, beaming connectivity from around 340 miles above earth across supplied user antenna equipment. It markets primarily to rural users without cable or fiber access.

What is Cable Internet?

Cable internet leverages the existing cable TV infrastructure you‘re already familiar with as a conduit to deliver home or business broadband. It connects your location to the larger internet backbone utilizing hybrid fiber and copper coaxial cable, historically offering some of the fastest and most reliable wired connectivity.

Who is Each Service Best Suited For?

Due to availability beyond wired infrastructure, Starlink suits rural users best. The ability to place antennas anywhere with clear sky visibility makes Starlink the only option for many remote premises.

For most suburban or urban areas already wired for cable, the faster, consistent speeds cable provides make it better suited for things like streaming, gaming, and video calls. Cable also works better for users needing reliability during inclement weather when precipitation can disrupt satellite signals.

Now let‘s explore how these two otherwise very capable services compare across some key decision factors.

Comparing Download Speeds and Data Rates

Two pillars of service quality are connection speeds and reliability. Let‘s break these down starting with bandwidth rates.

Starlink Speeds:

• Residential users can expect between 50-150+ Mbps down
• Business packages boast ~100-500Mbps
• Congestion can significantly reduce speeds further during peak hours

Real-world use shows Starlink residential performance averaging downloaded speeds closer to 100Mbps despite higher speed claims, based on user reported tests during optimal conditions. However new terminals using upgraded dish antenna hardware promise better throughput.

Cable Speeds

• Download rates typically range from 200Mbps to 1Gbps down
• Most providers offer multiple speed tier options to suit budget
• Consistently low-latency connectivity with no environmental speed disruption

In ideal environments, cable undoubtedly provides faster raw bandwidth potential vs. current satellite capability. As satellite infrastructure enhancement continues, the speed gap may narrow but cable‘s wired reliability advantages remain clear.

Speed Comparison Table

Now let‘s explore the reliability differences which also favor land-based cable internet.

Reliability and Connection Stability

While speed rates provide metrics for maximum possible rates, stability and outage resilience determine how consistently users experience those rates.

Due to fundamental infrastructure differences, here satellite falls short versus cabled options:

• Starlink
  • Heavy precipitation causes full outage of satellite signals
  • Snow/ice can fully obstruct dish antenna reception
  • Average reported annual downtime total hours: 26
• Cable
  • Very rare full connection loss during weather events
  • Consistently low latency thanks to wired signal stability
  • Average reported annual downtime total hours: 0.5

With over 50 times fewer annual outage hours, cable internet demonstrates substantially higher stability. For users needing reliability across weather conditions – think businesses, remote workers, etc – cable provides assurance satellite struggles matching currently.

As Leading network infrastructure analyst Dan Rayburn explains: "Satellite will always face fundamental latency and disruption from factors like rain fade that no amount of infrastructure upgrades can overcome unlike a wired internet backbone."

Now let‘s examine availability and access reach between the two internet types.

Comparing Geographic Accessibility

A key advantage of satellite lies in servi areas beyond wired infrastructure:

Starlink

• Available virtually ANYWHERE with clear sky view
• Only option providing any internet in many rural regions
• Expanding into global markets like Brazil

Cable

• Mostly accessible across suburban and urban regions
• Utilizes existing cable wiring infrastructure backbone
• Buildout economics limit rural and deep wilderness serviceability

So while cable leverages reliable wired infrastructure, satellite fills coverage gaps in areas traditionally lacking connectivity. This suits pilots, remote workers or businesses operating outside urban zones reliant on broadband access.

Let‘s examine the hardware and install process now for connecting each service.

Comparing Equipment and Installation Responsibility

Starlink

• Self-install required – user provided kit enables (simpler) DIY
• Outdoor antenna mount install with clear view to the sky vital

Cable

• Professional technician typically handles install
• Leverages existing interior coaxial outlets and wiring

Here we see a bit of a role reversal – despite satellite reputation for specialist configuration, Starlink designed their hardware to enable user self-setup without needing a dish pro. Yes cable tech installation makes it easier, but the Starlink kit proves feasibility of simplified satellite deployments.

Evaluating Subscription Cost, Power and Data Usage

Now for the costs associated with each internet access option:

Monthly Subscription Fees

• Starlink: $110 per month residential, $500 per month business
• Cable: ~$50 per month typical, discounts often available

Clearly cable provides more affordable plans, albeit with infrastructure access reaching fewer remote regions.

Power Consumption

• Starlink terminal: 50-90 Watts average use
• Cable modem: 5-15 Watts average

Given satellite antenna and transmission power needs, Starlink users should budget higher electric costs too.

Data Caps

• Starlink and Cable: Typically no caps on monthly data use enforced

Unmetered access provides usage freedom important to many subscribers migrating video, large downloads and more online. But satellite capacity limitations may force future policy limits if congestion arises.

Summary Recommendations for Service Selection

WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS: To determine optimal broadband, factor speed needs, geographic access capability, weather reliability demands plus willingness to handle antenna install and subscriptions costs.

FOR MOST URBAN/SUBURBAN USERS WITH CABLE AVAILABLE: Faster, cheaper, more reliable wired service likely beats satellite proposition.

ANYONE BEYOND CABLE REACH REQUIRING NON-DIALUP SPEEDS: Starlink fills rural internet gap with speeds otherwise unattainable for these regions.

Let‘s recap key takeaways as you evaluate the right internet:

• Where available, cable provides fastest/cheapest service less prone to weather disruption
• Starlink enables the ONLY viable internet option in many rural unserved regions
• Carefully weigh disruptive weather reliability needs – satellite more impacted than cable
• If mobility needs require getting online anywhere, Starlink is the choice

Conclusion

Still have questions navigating what type of internet works for your situation? This guide aims covering the core decision factors like speed versus reliability in a conversational format as you consider cable versus satellite connections. Please reach out with any other questions!