High-speed and uninterrupted internet has become the need of the hour for businesses as well as residential users. Whether it is using the internet for carrying out business activities simply watching your favorite movies and TV shows or scrolling through social media, we live in the age of high-speed internet. Talking about speed, nothing beats Starlink.
Ever since its very inception, Starlink has gained enough momentum across the continents, thanks to its unbridled internet services in the areas where one could barely imagine streaming the internet.
Whether residential or business, Starlink has been around in the industry for a few years and has given tough competition to all its competitors.
This article draws a comparison between the two most popular services offered by the company – Starlink Business and Starlink Residential. Read it till the end to find out which one is good for you.
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Starlink Internet Services
Currently, Starlink provides four internet services to consumers – Business, Residential, Maritime, and Roam(Former RV).
As the name suggests, Business services are apt for large and small businesses that deploy a network under one roof. The business plan provides high-speed internet connectivity to multiple systems at the same time. Residential services are apt for home use.
Furthermore, Maritime, as the name says, is the plan used while at sea, and RV is high-speed, stable internet connectivity for consumers when they travel. However, out of these four, two services are the most popular plans- Starlink Business and Residential.
Read further to know everything about these two internet plans.
Starlink Business
Starlink business is one of the four internet plans offered by Starlink, an enterprise owned by SpaceX. It is a satellite internet plan for consumers, especially for business owners and other enterprise-related applications requiring satellite internet connectivity for multiple devices at the same time. The stability, high-speed, and publicly routable DHCP of Starlink Business make it stand out from others in the industry.
The internet service offers admin-grade features for all businesses requiring a free flow of internet for multiple devices simultaneously. Starlink Business includes features such as Static IP, easy VPN connection, outstanding support for basic and advanced functions as well as round-the-clock priority support.
You can utilize a fiber-like performance with this internet service, with high upload and download speeds, no matter the size of the files. Starlink Business also facilitates real-time collaboration with seamless video conferencing. Its low latency makes it suitable for IoT use like security systems, sensors, autonomous machinery, robotics, wearable technology, and more.
Starlink Residential
Starlink Residential is now termed as Starlink Standard. As the name suggests, it is a standard residential home internet plan that many families in America and beyond are after.
All you need to access this internet is an at-home connection. The plan offers a seamless internet experience to the whole family, offering good upload and download speeds and affordable prices.
If you reside in an area with a low-capacity network, you can utilize this internet service and make the most of it. Even if you live in a high-capacity network area, you can utilize Starlink Standard Internet.
However, you may have to get a higher subscription plan. Overall, Starlink Standard is a remarkable internet plan as long as you remember it is not available everywhere and the network can be a little unreliable. When compared to Starlink Standard, the data of Starlink Business or Starlink Mobility gets prioritized.
Starlink Standard vs High-Performance Dish
Starlink Business Vs Residential
At present, Starlink offers four internet services to its consumers, namely Business, Residential, Maritime, and Roam. The company is likely to expand itself and offer more services in the upcoming years.
As the name suggests, Business services are suitable for small and large businesses deploying a network under one roof. The Business plan offers high-speed internet connectivity to many systems at a time.
Likewise, Starlink Residential is more suitable for home use. Starlink Maritime is the plan used for consumers traveling by sea and RV or Roam is a high-speed stable internet connectivity for consumers who are always on the go.
Starlink Business and Starlink Residential are the most popular plans among the two. The below-listed comparison helps you understand the differences between the two:
1. Speed
Speed is the most significant point of difference, setting Starlink Business apart from the Residential internet plan. As the Residential plan is created to cater to families only, the speed remains lower than the Business plan.
Starlink Business entertains a download speed of 100-350 Mbps and an upload speed of 20-40 Mbps. It is almost double when compared to the Residential plan which offers a download speed of 50-200 Mbps and an upload speed of 10-20 Mbps, respectively. Both these plans have a latency of 20-40 ms and zero data caps.
2. Design
When it comes to design, both plans feature a Starlink dish, a Wi-Fi router base unit, a power cable, a dish mount, and a connecting cable.
The antenna, router, base, and cables of the Starlink Business are superior to its Residential counterpart to ensure better speed delivery. Moreover, the entire business plan kit is designed sturdier than the residential kit so that it can also endure the perils of the weather and other obstructions.
3. Cost
Owing to the high speed, better design, and other important features, one can expect the Starlink Business plan to cost more than the Residential service.
Starlink Residential comes with a one-time payment of $599 for the satellite hardware and a $110 monthly fee for the internet service. On the flip side, the cost of the Starlink Business plan is much higher and includes an initial payment of $2500 for the satellite hardware and a monthly internet service fee of $500.
4. Data Cap and Throttling
In terms of data, Starlink Business provides unlimited data with slow speeds once the set data limit is exhausted. This data allotment is called Priority Data.
The service providers offer various Priority data limit plans and the speed gets reduced depending on the plan you have chosen – 1TB, 2TB, or 6TB. On the contrary, there are no hard data caps for Starlink Residential and it doesn’t cut off your internet connection as such for spending a lot of time online. That said, it is subject to the plan you choose.
Pros and Cons of Starlink Business
Starlink Business’s internet service plan has its own set of benefits and shortcomings. Read further to know about the pros and cons of Starlink Business.
Pros
- Starlink Business offers unlimited internet data and the fastest download and upload speed.
- It is an ideal internet plan for businesses and government offices, owing to its consistent speed, stability, and unmatched services.
- Unlimited users can make the most of fast and consistent speed at the same time in the Starlink Business plan.
- Starlink Business offers lower latency and doesn’t require you to sign any contract.
- You can cancel your subscription for free.
- The dish is easy to install and the monthly internet service is affordable for businesses.
Cons
- Compared to others, the hardware of Starlink Business is extremely expensive.
- Low earth orbit interferes with the internet service.
- The availability of Starlink Business still remains a major issue.
Important Things to Know about Starlink Business
- Starlink uses small satellites orbiting around the planet to provide high-speed, uninterrupted internet service to consumers.
- It uses radio signals from the vacuum of space to provide low latency and high-speed internet.
- Starlink Business offers a better download speed (100-350 Mbps) and upload speed (20-40 Mbps) as compared to Residential Starlink, which has a download speed of 50-200 Mbps, while an upload speed of 10-20 Mbps.
- Starlink Business has better speed, stability, consistency, and services than Residential Starlink. However, it is also more expensive.
- Starlink Business plan comes with a larger antenna.
Which One Should You Choose?
The biggest question here is which internet plan of Starlink should you opt for – Starlink Business or Starlink Residential.
Well, the answer to this question is simple – it all gets reduced to your needs.
Starlink Business is suitable for consumers who want a robust internet connection to streamline their work, unlimited device connection, and network security. The Internet connection resolves all the connectivity and speed issues faced by many corporations. On the other hand, consumers who are looking for basic internet requirements at an affordable rate should opt for Starlink Residential.
Both these Starlink plans are par excellence.
FAQs
Starlink Business is an internet plan offered by Starlink Internet service provider, SpaceX, which is the brainchild of Elon Musk. With the help of low-earth orbit satellites, this company provides internet at a very high speed, low latency, and more data.
Starlink has limited accessibility. Currently, it is available in 48 states in the USA. However, by the end of this year, the company plans to extend its services to the remaining countries.
Talking about the rest of the world, Starlink does not offer its services to Russia, China, Cuba, and North Korea but plans to cover other Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in the future.
Starlink Business does not come with many drawbacks. However, there are a few things that could bother the consumers. First and foremost, the lack of coverage can be a problem. Secondly, the cost also comes across as a major issue with the consumers.
Starlink Business offers better stability and speed than Starlink Residential. It provides 100-350 Mbps, while Residential Starlink provides 50-200 Mbps. Moreover, the upload speed of Starlink Business is also better than Starlink Residential.
To get Starlink Business Internet, all you need to do is visit the Starlink website and provide your address, and the website will show the availability of data at your geographical location.
No, you do not need to sign any contract with the providers to get the Starlink Business Internet service. You can cancel the services at any time without any cancellation charges.
Residential Starlink is apt for home users. Small and large businesses should use Starlink Business for better connectivity, speed, and data usage.
Although Starlink Business dishes are very large, you can install them indoors. However, it is always recommended to install the dish outdoors for a better experience.
Conclusion
Starlink is an innovative internet approach extending its services to every corner of the world. The cutting-edge technology backing this service is going miles to offer a seamless internet experience. Furthermore, the different Starlink plans make it easy for you to choose one as per your requirements. Whether Residential or Business, you can utilize Starlink’s services to the optimum. Start your subscription now.