Starlink (Premium) Business Has Been Released, Should I Get It.
Starlink is hitting new heights launching its new business class internet package. Apart from the Gen1 and Gen2 systems they have introduced a higher tier service originally called premium but now listed as business on the Starlink website. So what is all the hype, and should I be considering it as an option for my services?
How much better is Starlink Business then the Standard Starlink System?
We list 7 ways Starlink Business kills its competition and takes the Crown.
Its mobility and set up are unheard of and set an industry benchmark for future capabilities of rural internet, but then again you have to consider the price.
1. Speed and no data caps! How fast is Starlink Business? It's rated at 150-500Mb download speed. To put that into perspective if you already own a home Starlink system, where its system peaks at 150Mbs is where business starts! I would say that is "getting down to business". Although this is a good starting point, this isn't all that Starlink Business offers. Following what we have seen from the majority of Starlink users speed testing, they fluctuate heavily, up and down tests with great speeds at times and then just enough to maybe get by, but certainly nothing to brag about. This up and down bandwidth comes from satellites coming in and out of the field of view as well as many other factors to be considered in your network. If the new Business Starlink can stabilize its bandwidth with the bigger dish with sustained speeds at 150+Mbs, but we suspect it will average closer to 350+Mbs download with less fluctuation then its little brothers, this real time bandwidth can easily power 4-5X the amount of regular dishy.
2. Service, live technical help desk! Well not quite, but yes you have a live digital connection. You get priority support as a client that is paying over $600.00 a month should have. When you're dealing with a business, downtime is money. You don't just miss the grand finale of your favorite tv show, you can lose out on thousands and in some cases millions of dollars if your business internet goes down. Starlink knows this and offers first hand support for anyone willing to pay over the $600 monthly bill. Having been in the industry setting up internet systems rurally for years now I know what clients have paid and how much they received for that amount, trust me, Starlink Business is running at a fraction of the cost of most rural business solutions that use data on a large scale, not only is it cheaper it is running sometimes a 100X faster too. How can this be beat, Elon threw a 1-2 punch and landed both on the chin for a knockout solution to rural business internet.
3. Stability, less downtime means more uptime. Starlink Business is claiming the signals will be stabilized better through a larger Dishy. It even claims that it is "24/7 critical information" which sounds cool, but it's a bit vague as to its true meaning. A logical assumption for me would be that extra stability helps in case of a critical emergency 24/7...on top of the priority support line for their quickest response time to get you back up and running asap.
4. Throughput, more users means a stronger routing system is needed. the Starlkink router will be suffice for a smaller office of 3000 sq ft potentially more, but a lot of commercial systems use hardwired connection for security and performance reasons, which would make me assume that a lot of Starlink Business systems will be plugging into an existing network of patch cables and servers. Usually that infrastructure is expensive and in place already, sometimes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. so they won't be replacing it if it can be avoided. Large scale operations like dairy farms to remote McDonald's restaurants, there is going to be a long line to get ahold of one of these systems. In a business network there are multiple heavy users, the distribution of the bandwidth between these users can really cause the system to slow down, the routing system is almost as crucial as the satellite signal feed coming directly into the home/business. A bottle neck anywhere in the topography will slow down the entire system.
5. Pricing, if Starlink Business has all this going for it, it must be really expensive? The answer is yes no! Yes compared to any standard of home network this is a ridiculous amount of money, but no if you're talking about commercial grade satellite equipment. Go price some of these units out and you're looking at 3-10'000 dollars for equipment and installation. On top of data rate charges that can reach into the thousands if used heavily in a month. So comparing apples to apples Starlink once again gets the upper hand. Don't get me wrong, $650.00 a month is costly. But when you're running a business that is internet dependent as most are quickly becoming, that bill will easily become a great return on investment, and yeah a very nice right off as well.
6.No Contract. I personally like this one the most as to me it is a statement saying that Starlink is willing to stand by its product and services. You're not trapped in a contract, if you don't like or have no need for it then you can cancel at any time, you might even get a partial refund for the equipment if you choose to send it back. In a day and age where large companies like to lock you in as theirs for years, Starlink once again has come in as the King of doing it right.
7.Mobility. This is a really big deal, working in the rural internet industry for years now I have seen many small town internet systems that just can't handle a large bandwidth user. Without that being offered in town businesses will go elsewhere. Well the Starlink Business is opening the doors for rural businesses with new opportunities to bring bandwidth big enough to run a large scale operation. Knowing that this is now an option might help fill some of our small towns that have felt the pains of people migrating to the larger cities. The doors of opportunity have been swung wide open for rural businesses needing an internet solution.
The King, The Champion but also the new kid on the block that has to prove himself. It is going to be a matter of time before we truly know the limitations of Starlink Business. For now though every thing is looking up, and based upon the majority of existing Starlink users they have hit a grand slam homerun. If the business side of Starlink performs even half as well it will be considered progress, if they deliver the goods as stated then they will be wearing the champs crown for a long time to come. Thank you for reading this article, if your enjoying the content that make sure to become a member.