The dream of being able to access the Internet, wherever you are, is now a reality, in particular thanks to Starlink, available in France for 2 years now. But how does this spatial Internet work? What speeds can we achieve and above all at what prices?
Since May 2021, Starlink has become an operator in France allowing you to benefit from an internet connection via a satellite network. If other services of the same type exist in France through other operators, Starlink is the only one to promise connections close to what terrestrial fiber can offer, from anywhere. The service now has more than 2 million subscribers worldwide and more than 10,000 subscribers in France.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and run by his commercial aerospace company SpaceX, the project aims to provide ultra-high speed broadband across the world using a network of thousands of satellites. The service is available on the seven continents, in more than 60 countries and operates thanks to a satellite network located at low altitude, around 550 km.
Despite a dazzling success during its first marketing at the end of 2019, Starlink is far from reaching its objectives set at 20 million customers in 2022), but is just starting to make a profit, in particular thanks to cost reductions. manufacturing of its terminals.
Starlink is diversifying its activities and it is possible to find antennas on certain Supercharger stations. They provide Wi-Fi connection to motorists and charging of their vehicles.
How does Starlink work?
Instead of connecting each home with cables – whether copper or optical fiber – Elon Musk chose internet via satellites. The principle has already existed for a long time, these satellites orbit above us, generally at 35,700 km. It is high. At this distance, there are frequently significant latencies in sending and receiving data.
By being closer to our planet with a massive network, Starlink satellites are expected to quickly transport large amounts of information to any point on Earth, even over oceans and in extremely difficult places to reach. access where fiber optic cables would be expensive to lay. However, a lot of satellites are needed to make this network functional.
As of November 2023, 5,489 satellites have been launched by Starlink. The deployment rate is around a hundred satellites per month in 2023. The latter are placed in an orbit of between 540 and 570 km. The first versions were very light, with a weight ranging from 227 to 290 kg. The latter operates primarily in the Ku and Ka bands, but also uses optical laser links for communication between satellites.
The new generation, whose deployment has just begun, is twice as heavy (approximately 790 kg), but should be able to offer four times the data rate of the first generation via in particular E-band antennas, which operate in the bands of frequencies 71-79 GHz and 81-86 GHz.
The placement of these Starlink satellites regularly causes controversy, particularly because its low-orbit satellites interrupt photographs of comets, due to the fact that they orbit closer to Earth than other satellites. This is a real source of concern for astrophysicists.
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Is Starlink better than fiber?
Starlink’s stated objective since its beginnings has been to make fast and reliable internet accessible wherever you are on the globe. This applies as much to the most remote corners of the world as to the landlocked French countryside where the terrestrial internet network is still not widespread or even completely absent.
The deployment of terrestrial fiber has made an impressive leap in France since 2018. A large part of the territory is now eligible according to the latest data from Arcep, even if it is mainly dense areas which are favored. There also remain some areas that are still poorly served, such as the northern part of New Aquitaine, the mountainous areas of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes or even part of the Breton lands. 4G and 5G cellular networks have also taken their place in the equation and today offer an alternative, even if here again the network is not completely optimal in so-called “white zones”.
Starlink therefore becomes a credible option for benefiting from a reliable and fast connection from anywhere, whether you live in a more isolated area or simply be nomadic.
The low-orbit satellite network technology desired by Starlink and SpaceX allows higher speeds, close to what we find on an entry-level fiber offer in France, notably from operators like Sosh or Red by SFR. Here is on average what Starlink customers can expect:
- Between 200 and 250 Mb/s download
- Between 30 to 40 Mb/s sending
- A ping between 40 and 60 ms
In idea, the speeds obtained are very sufficient to broadcast 4K UHD content and have classic internet use without too many problems at home. On the other hand, for very specific uses such as game streaming via Cloud Gaming (Geforce Now, Xbox Game pass, Shadow) this may be a little tight, particularly because the ping, although very limited compared to others similar offers, is still too high to get a satisfactory experience.
We are therefore still far from the theoretical speed of 1 Gb/s, however Starlink is above all an alternative to traditional terrestrial connections (in particular ADSL), without obviously mentioning white areas which are not even served by ADSL or 4G.
How to get Starlink and with what plan in France?
Starlink is now available in two packages in France, for direct purchase or rental.
Via purchase, the hardware kit is priced at 450 euros with a subscription of 40 euros per month, all guaranteed for 2 years. It is also possible to try the offer and be reimbursed on request within the first 30 days. Add to that 23 euros for shipping and maintenance.
Via rental, the hardware kit costs 10 euros with a subscription of 40 euros per month: 50 euros per month in total. It is always guaranteed for 2 years with shipping costs and now at 23 euros. There is always the possibility of getting a refund after 30 days with the return of equipment.
The Starlink kit provided has been updated in 2023 with easier installation in particular, because everything is configurable via your smartphone with the Starlink application.
The Starlink Kit in France in 2023
The antenna and the Starlink router once mounted
There are also formulas for specific uses, each of which is still subject to the purchase of the antenna or its rental:
- Starlink Roam: to move with the antenna, practical for nomadic use (camper van for example) with a specific installation kit and a subscription at 100 euros per month.
- Starlink Maritime: same thing for boats with a subscription at 289 euros per month.
- Starlink Business: Specific kit for businesses with improved flow. 3 formulas are available:
- Up to 1 TB of data: 216 euros per month
- Up to 1 TB of data: 423 euros per month
- Up to 1 TB of data: 1,272 euros per month
How to cancel Starlink?
Subscription Starlink is non-binding. It is possible to cancel your monthly subscription at any time from the Starlink customer portal. However, no refund is provided and you will have to return the Starlink kit and pay the reshipping costs.
What are the alternatives to Starlink?
Thanks to Starlink, there has been a renewed interest in satellite connections, particularly from traditional operators. The overall supply in France, however, remains limited. If this interests you, you can consult our dedicated article on satellite internet subscriptions in France in 2023.
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