For people who live in places where internet connection is either very slow or non-existent, Starlink denotes hope and optimism in terms of being connected to the world.
Starlink is the first and largest satellite constellation that utilizes a low-Earth orbit to provide broadband internet for underserved, rural communities.
This review covers what Starlink offers, its availability and the costs involved.
What is Starlink Canada?
Starlink is a low-Earth orbit satellite internet service provider that offers internet access to many parts of Canada, specifically in rural areas. Operated by SpaceX, Starlink aims to deliver faster internet services to people in remote areas.
Many greatly admire Elon Musk’s initiative of providing lightning-fast internet speeds and availability in areas other ISPs do not operate.
I think it is also impressive that Starlink Canada’s unlimited internet service has proven itself an excellent contender in the market despite being new in the field.
Remarkably, the company can actually provide rural subscribers with plans that were once available to the urban population only.
Starlink App
The Starlink app [ Android or iOS ] lets you easily set up the hardware and verify your Wi-Fi login credentials.
You can use it to identify the install location, ensure the best connection and check for obstructions that can hamper the service.
The app can also receive alerts for service issues, view connectivity statistics, and troubleshoot connectivity issues.
How Does Starlink Work?
The Starlink satellites are in a low orbit as opposed to satellite internet services using single geostationary satellites.
The latter requires a longer time for data to make a round trip between the satellite and the user. This data travel is referred to as latency.
Due to the low orbit of Starlink satellites, its latency is lower, at around 25 ms, compared to that of geo satellites, which is 600+ ms.
The lower latency of the Starlink service equates to faster speeds, making it possible to support streaming, video calls, online gaming, and other activities requiring high data rates.
Starlink Coverage Map Canada
You can see below the Starlink coverage map in Canada. This is from the Starlink website, and it shows the various areas in Canada where the Starlink service is up and running.
As you can see, Starlink Internet in Canada is available in most places. For other areas, the Starlink service is expected in late 2023.
Since its mission is to prioritize rural areas, Starlink is yet to make its service available in the metropolitan areas of Calgary and some areas outside of Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.
Starlink is likewise unavailable in some areas on the southern border of British Columbia and a few regions in New Brunswick.
Starlink Internet Plans
The Starlink internet plans currently offered are as follows:
- Residential – Broadband internet for residents
- Business – Higher gain antenna, added throughput allocation, and bandwidth for crucial operations
- Roam – Internet on an as-needed basis
- Mobility – For critical in-motion applications with 100% coverage in the country where Starlink service is available
- Maritime – Provides coverage for boats of all sizes; up to 220 Mbps download speed while at sea
- Aviation – Internet service that delivers up to 350 Mbps to each plane
The following are Starlink’s Fixed Service Plans:
- Standard Service Plan – For residential users
- Priority Service Plan – For high-demand users, which includes businesses, governments, and institutions at fixed land-based locations
- Mobility Service Plan – Includes regional and global plans for users who utilize the Starlink mobile services wherever they are.
Customers must be at least 18 years old (or of legal age of majority in your jurisdiction of residence) to use Starlink services.
Starlink Speed
Starlink claims it can provide internet speeds of 50 to 150 Mbps, with download speeds ranging from 40 to 80 Mbps and upload speeds from 15 to 20 Mbps.
Below are the download and upload speeds of standard and priority users during peak hours, as specified by Starlink:
- Starlink speed for Standard users:
- Download speeds – 25Mbps to 100Mbps
- Upload speeds – 5Mbps to 10Mbps
- Starlink speed for Priority users:
- Download speeds
- Upload speeds – 8Mbps to 25Mbps uploads
Based on these figures, we can say that Starlink is living up to its claims of providing fast internet speeds.
Starlink Cost in Canada
Below are the Starlink costs in Canada for various services plans:
- Standard – For households
- Monthly service plan – $140/mo.
- One-time Hardware cost (Standard) – $599
- Priority – For businesses and high-demand users
- Monthly service plans:
- 1TB Priority – $250/mo.
- 2TB Priority – $500/mo.
- 6TB Priority – $1500/mo.
- One-time hardware cost (High-performance) – $2500
- Monthly service plans:
- Mobile – For RVs, nomads, and campers
- Monthly service plans:
- Regional – $150/mo.
- Global – $200/mo.
- One-time hardware cost (Standard) – $599
- Monthly service plans:
- Mobile Priority – For maritime, emergency response, and mobile businesses
- Monthly service plans:
- 50GB Mobile Priority – $250/mo.
- 1TB Mobile Priority – $1000/mo.
- 5TB Mobile Priority – $5000/mo.
- One-time hardware cost (Flat high-performance) – $2500
- Monthly service plans:
The Starlink hardware includes a Starlink antenna, WiFi router and mount (or Starlink Kit), cables and base.
Starlink internet plans do not require long-term contracts. You can try the Starlink service for 30 days and, if unsatisfied, return the hardware for a full refund.
As someone who finds no joy in committing to long-term contracts for services that still have to be proven, I see this as a huge advantage.
If you are unhappy with the service, you can cancel it anytime. There would be no need to wait for long-drawn contracts to expire.
How To Order and Install Starlink Internet in Canada
Below are the procedures to order and install the Starlink internet service in Canada.
Ordering the Starlink Internet Service
- Go to the Starlink website and provide your service address on the box.
- Click “Order Now” to be taken to the “Order Starlink” page.
- Choose between residential use and business use:
- Standard (for residential use) – $759
- High-performance (for business use) – $3,170
- Fill out the rest of the form with your contact information and shipping address, then click “Place Order.”
Modes of payment accepted are bank-to-bank payments, credit or debit cards for all charges. Shipping and handling costs depend on your location.
Installing Starlink Canada
When installing the Starlink hardware, position the satellite dish in a location with a clear field of view of the sky.
Refer to the Starlink app to determine the install location that will provide the best connection and to assess the area for anything that blocks or obstructs the service.
Use the app to properly set up the hardware and verify your WiFi login credentials.
Starlink requires that the hardware installation follows building codes, zoning, ordinances, and other related regulations in your area.
Pros and Cons of Starlink Canada
Here are the pros and cons of Starlink Canada that you can use as a general guide in determining if the service is one you should pay for.
Pros
- No contracts
- 30-day trial
- Quick and easy setup
- Fast downloads
- High upload and download speeds in rural areas
- Better internet speeds and latency than traditional satellite internet and LTE wireless internet
- No bandwidth cap
- Available in remote areas across Canada
Cons
- Many find the Starlink cost in Canada pricey
- Reduced performance during bad weather
- Prone to disconnection and slow speeds
- Less efficient than cable or fibre internet connection
- Not available in all of Canada
- Outages and connection drops due to coverage gaps
Is Starlink Canada Worth It?
Here are the following reasons why I think Starlink Canada is worth it:
- You live in a rural area, and the only available internet service is one that faithfully delivers a single-digit Mbps.
- You constantly download large files and need a service that genuinely provides fast download speeds.
- You have grown tired of seeing more buffering action onscreen than the actual YouTube video or Netflix film itself.
- You need to work from home and want assurance that your online meetings will not feature attendees freezing in mid-sentence.
It is also essential to consider the fact that paying $140 per month plus $599 for the hardware fee can be expensive.
But compared with other providers of its ilk, Starlink offers better value for the price you pay, especially with its speed that goes up to 100Mbps with the potential to improve, plus its capability to provide high-speed broadband coverage to many remote areas.
FAQs
The Starlink internet service costs $140 per month. Enrolling in the service includes paying for the Starlink hardware, which costs CA$759 for residential use, $3,170 for business use, and $599 for RVs.
Starlink speeds in Canada can go up to $150 Mbps. While this is faster than the usual low-cost fibre internet connection, it is much slower than the fibre plans offered by services like Bell’s. One issue with Starlink is their satellite network is sometimes affected by bad weather.
According to Starlink, its speeds are from 50 to 150 Mbps, faster than the more affordable fibre plans in Canada today. Starlink is, however, significantly slower than the Telus fibre plan, which offers download speeds of up to 940 Mbps, and Bell’s Gigabit Fibe 8.0, with download speeds of up to 8 Gbps.
After placing your order, wait around 3 to 4 business days for the Starlink kit to arrive at your residence or place of business. The company fulfills customer orders from Monday to Friday and dispatches them within two weeks. To inquire about your order, submit a ticket since no Starlink Canada contact details are provided.
Starlink Canada unlimited data is provided to the users. The company used to deprioritize or throttle the users’ data after providing 1TB of “Priority Access,” but the policy was recently changed. Starlink informed users through email that their subscription will no longer be deprioritized after using 1TB of data and will remain unlimited.
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