is Starlink the Future of Internet Data Service in Nigeria?

It is fascinating how our local internet service provider promises so much more upload and download speed, but these promises never indeed happen. With Starlink a product of Space X, it promises high internet speed than our local internet providers. Starlink is an internet service device connected to multiple satellites in space to provide internet services.

STARLINK REVIEW

How To Buy Starlink

Availability: Nigeria is the first African country to get access to the official website and it shows other African countries will get the service soon. To purchase The Starlink kit you have to do is go to the website (Please be aware of scam sites).

After clicking Order Now, you need to input your address, billing information, and NIN. Paying for the device, the best way is to use a domiciliary card.

You might be asking yourself this question. How long does it take to deliver?

Making a purchase now should take two to four weeks to deliver to your doorstep.

What comes in the box:

• Face antenna array
• 75ft cable
• Power cable
• Mesh Router
• Base stand
• Documentation/manual

How to Set up

• Download the App from Playstore or Appstore.
• Select your device on the App.
• Plug the right end of the 75ft cable into the antenna array
• Fix the antenna array to the base stand.
• Plug in the left end of the 75ft cable to the mesh router.
• Plug in the power cable to the mesh router, switch on the power switch, and wait till u see the white indicator light turn on.
• Go to the app create a network name and password and connect.

note: Please do not tilt manually when setting up or calibrating for the best signal position. The Device has motorized and self-oriented to calibrate on its own and face the sky. Also, it’s best you place your Starlink on the roof for better signal quality.

How Does It Work

Our internet service providers we used in Nigeria, use cellular towers. With Starlink, you are getting thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth as closely as 550 km. These satellites are said to be covering the entire earth and are close distance to the planet. With these satellites at a close distance, it means there is a shorter distance for data to travel back and forth for faster internet speeds and lower latency. The antenna array has a bunch of antennas inside them that send and receive signals giving you internet from their low orbiting satellites in space.

How many people can connect to Starlink?

According to its official documentation, you can connect up to 128 devices to your mesh router.

Note: Remember that the higher the number of people you connect to your router the slower your speeds.

Can Starlink work without Electricity?

No, it can’t, requires constant power to run. It has no battery that keeps it running when power is out. You can get a power station to keep the device On.

Download & Upload Speed

Testing with websites like speedtest.net, the highest download speed was about 260Mbps and the highest upload speed is up to 32Mbps. with Such a speed, downloading a game of about 151GB will take around 5-7 hours to complete while on a regular 5G router, it will take around two days.

Ping/latency test

When it comes to the Ping, Here is a quick breakdown: 

Less than 20ms – is excellent for gaming and you shouldn’t experience any lags during your gameplay.

20ms to 50ms – is good and you should still get smooth gameplay.

50ms to 100ms – is fair and the average range for gamers connecting international servers.

100ms to 300ms – is poor for gaming. This comes with more lag & doesn’t necessarily spoil your gameplay.

Above 300ms is unusable.

well, Starlink never experiences ping less than 50ms. Even with periods of high speeds, the average range was 70ms to 90ms. With Starlink, you get good gameplay.

Gaming Test

Gaming with it online, you get good gameplay without any lags on mobile while on gaming platforms you get little lag.

Speed Vs Location Test

Mounting a Starlink, you need to avoid obstructions. According to Starlink, if obstructions are up to 2% you could experience slow speeds.

The most important thing when setting up is to ensure your antenna gets a clear view of the sky. The Starlink device has to be outdoors and not indoors.

Range Test

The native range is 2000 square feet of its position so far the range has been good. In terms of range, you should be covered.

Starlink Weather Test

Bad weather may affect the speed of Starlink.

Conclusion: is Starlink the future of internet Data service in Nigeria?

Yeah, it is the future of Internet data services. The Internet device gives more speed and unlimited data than our local service provider.