The rapid growth in user numbers has caused Starlink’s network speeds to slow down in some areas？

As we know, Starlink is composed of approximately 7,000 low Earth orbit (LEO) internet satellites, with the satellite count continuously expanding. However, this has been accompanied by an exponential increase in the global demand for satellite internet. Since May 2024, the number of Starlink users worldwide has grown from 3 million to nearly 5 million, with hundreds of thousands of new users in the U.S. alone. Recently, in some regions, the demand has exceeded network capacity, causing more congestion for Starlink residential users.

 

Over the past year, as the Starlink satellite constellation expanded, the waitlist for residential service has largely disappeared. During this period, internet speeds also improved, and users—especially in the U.S.—have seen brighter prospects for performance. In some areas, Starlink speeds have even reached rare levels of 300-400 Mbps.

 

 

However, with the rapid growth of Starlink satellite internet users globally, the situation has reversed in recent months. The waitlist has reappeared on the Starlink availability map, network congestion has increased, and speeds in many regions have been gradually slowing down.

While SpaceX's aggressive launch plans are ambitious, Starlink has faced challenges in sending enough additional satellites into orbit to boost capacity and stay ahead of demand. Balancing the number of users with network capacity is a challenge that may not go away anytime soon, and this will inevitably affect the satellite internet experience for users.

In recent years, Starlink has revolutionized the global satellite internet landscape, particularly for underserved, remote communities with limited terrestrial cellular networks. For these users, Starlink has been like a Noah's Ark in an internet desert. However, since it is still a relatively new service, Starlink inevitably faces growing pains.

 

Starlink applications in underdeveloped areas (Photo: SpaceX)

 

For nomads and rural users in remote areas, Starlink is transformative, offering low-latency, high-speed internet in places that previously lacked connectivity. While early network congestion was a common complaint, users were generally just happy to have a better option than anything else available.

It’s important to note that Starlink's network congestion is often related to location and time, much like with cellular networks. In areas with fewer Starlink users, users can still enjoy excellent network performance.