About Starlink Australia, In the last couple of years, Starlink has been launching satellites consistently to expand its horizons in the Global arena.
Now, the service is available in Australia, promising unrivaled performance, speed, and reliability.
While the service targets remote regions, in Australia, it is available in most locations, including these underserved regions.
In today’s article, we will talk about Starlink Australia, where it is, how much it costs, and compare it with local ISPs.
Where is Starlink Available In Australia?
Starlink entered the scene in Australia in 2021 as a trial service targeting southern New Wales and northern Victoria.
As we speak, the ISP has expanded its service to most territories and states in the country.
The country has about 20 ground stations and plans to set up more to ensure many people access it.
To know if it’s available in your region, I recommend visiting the Starlink availability map.
Alternatively, you can enter your address in the website search bar, and it will show its availability results in your area.
Australia map
How Fast Is Starlink In Australia?
While Starlink does not have the fastest speed in this country, its performance is decent, considering it’s a satellite internet.
To be precise, the company advertises 100 to 220 Mbps download speeds in its standard plans.
Its business plans and other priority data access plans can go above this speed to 350 Mbps.
On the other hand, the speed for uploads in most of its plans is said to be between 10 and 25 Mbps.
However, according to Ookla testing, the average download is about 106.43 Mbps, while the upload is 11.44 Mbps.
Note that the speed disparate between average and experienced can result from many factors.
These include network congestion, bad weather, and other interferences. Moreover, Starlink Australia’s latency is 20 to 50 ms, which is enough for some real-time internet activities.
How Much Does Starlink Cost In Australia?
The price you pay for your Starlink Australia will depend on the kit you buy, the time of the year, and the plan you choose.
For example, the Standard kit costs A$599 plus A$30 shipping costs and an A$139 monthly subscription fee.
If you timed a duration like December, you can get a refurbished kit for half that price, which comes to A$299.
However, note that the monthly price and the shipping cost do not change for the refurb kit.
It is important to mention that you will get a router, satellite, dish, base, Starlink cable, and AC cord for the kit.
You can also opt for Starlink business, a high-end service that costs A$3740 for the Flat high-performance kit.
For the standard kit be prepared to pay A$1100 for the kit. Optionally, you can rent the kit for A$160 per month, but you will have to pay an A$300 activation fee.
In all the cases above, you must pay A$155 for the shipping and handling costs.
Additionally, in all the business plan cases, you can buy priority data depending on your pocket depth and usage.
This data goes for 1TB for A$374, 2TB for A$748, and 40GB for A$230.
The good news is that you can use the standard data experienced in the residential plan once you exhaust priority access data. Another note is that Starlink plans have no data caps or contracts.
Internet speed representation
A Comparison of Starlink and Local Australian Internet
Now that you know the cost, performance, and availability of Starlink Australia, let’s see how it compares with other Australian ISPs.
Generally, it rivals Sky Muster NBN in rural regions and Fixed line NBN and 5G in cities.
Sky Muster NBN
Sky Muster refers to the infrastructure that the national broadcasting network utilizes to offer internet connectivity in remote Australian areas.
For this reason, you can expect it to be the main rival for Starlink, since they both target remote regions.
Comparing them, Starlink emerges as the superior alternative, boasting uncapped data and a speed of 220Mbps for downloads.
However, Sky Muster is quickly catching up, offering about 100Mbps for some of its plans and no data cap.
This plan is way above its previous maximum speed of 25Mbps with annoying data caps.
While it’s catching up with Stalink, it’s good to note that some of its plans still lag in performance and data caps.
For example, you can get Sky Muster 155 GB, NBN-SA-20-40 Sky Muster 60GB, and Sky Muster Plus Medium 50GB, among others.
Additionally, Starlink boasts services like Roam, and Maritime, which are yet to feature on Sky Muster NBN.
However, all Starlink plans are expensive, by more than 100% compared to Sky Muster ones.
Starlin Antenna
Fixed Wireless NBN
When you come to rural areas that are not so remote, the fixed wireless NBN is the main rival to Starlink.
This network utilizes the same infrastructure used by your phone’s 4G network to bring WiFi to your home.
Therefore, it uses the transmission tower near your home plus an antenna that you install on your premises.
Compared to Starlink, which offers 220mbps, wireless maximum download speed is 75 Mbps.
While this may seem inferior to Starlink, I recommend it considering the low price of not more than $90 in its most expensive plan.
Like Starlink, most of its plus plans do not have data caps. However, some of its basic plans have between 100 and 600 GB data caps, limiting what you can do on the internet.
In addition, it might be a preferable option for populated areas since Starlink does not do well in such regions.
Fixed Line NBN
For big city dwellers, this is the best network you can choose compared to Starlink. For starters, it is cheaper and sometimes boasts more speed than Starlink.
Starlink does not do well in cities since one satellite can only accommodate a limited number of users.
The fixed-line NBN utilizes FTTC, FTTN, FTTB, and FTTP technologies. Now, the service or the speed you get will depend on the node available on your premises.
Compared to Starlink, you can get fixed-line NBN vendors offering between 25 to 100 Mbps for just $49 to $80.
You can also get other high-end ties that provide up to 250 Mbps for between $75 and $99 per month.
Interestingly, most services have cheaper prices in the first 3 months and uncapped data offerings.
Fiber optic network
5G Home Internet
If your region lacks an NBN network or struggles, you can choose 5G or Starlink. However, 5G is a better option in populated cities, while Starink excels in remote regions.
Typically, 5G plans in Australia come capped at 50Mbps and 100Mbps or uncapped.
Some 5G plans can be better than Starlink, offering more than 300 Mbps and uncapped data.
Moreover, these speeds come at a lower price of not more than $96 with no initial infrastructure cost.
However, note that the speed you receive will depend on coverage and congestion.
Some of the main companies that offer uncapped 5G home internet in Australia are Telstar, Yomojo, and Optus.
Conclusion
Now you know every detail you require about Stalink Australia. You should also know that it ships in 1 to 2 weeks, and you can have a 30-day return policy if unsatisfied.
Consider the network available in your locations before choosing Starlink over them.