About Starlink vs mobile hotspot. Many people can’t outright decide whether to use Starlink or a mobile hotspot for internet connection in their homes.
Both options provide great value for money, but each has its share of upsides and disadvantages.
This detailed guide compares and contrasts the two internet services to help you choose the best between them.
Starlink vs Mobile Hotspot: Target Users
Mobile Hotspot Concept.
Mobile Hotspot Target Users
A mobile hotspot was formerly the perfect choice for internet users looking to browse while away from home. But that was before Starlink Internet existed, and things have changed.
Today, mobile hotspots are not only valid for those traveling but also serve as an excellent choice for home connection. Why? There’s a significant improvement in LTE, 4G, and, most recently, 5G services.
A mobile hotspot is critical for internet-intensive activities such as video conferencing and online gaming. It has a relatively low latency, while its speed is exemplary.
Hence, the target users for cellular network services are broader than before. They include those on the move and those looking to access strong internet at home.
Starlink Internet Target Users
The Starlink is a perfect fit for Internet access in Rural Areas.
Starlink is one of the best satellite internet services, thus accessible even in remote areas where no other service is available. Think of it as universally available internet from virtually any place on earth.
Therefore, the primary Starlink internet users are those in areas with no other service. Their target base is broader than for cellular network services.
Starlink vs Mobile Hotspot: Technology
A 4G WiFi Modem.
Mobile Hotspot Technology
A mobile hotspot is easy to create. Primarily, you need a smartphone with access to a cellular network from a provider such as T-Mobile. Next, you create a private hotspot/ wireless local area networking (WLAN) from which other devices can access the internet.
Note that a mobile hotspot’s strength depends on the cellular signal provided by the service provider.
In addition, the network speed and accessibility in a hotspot rely on the accessing device’s proximity to the source. If it’s close, the connection is strong, and vice versa.
Starlink Internet Technology
The Starlink Satellites in Space.
Starlink is a satellite service. Thus, it relies on a constellation of satellites in space to distribute internet from ground towers to an extensive area. The ground stations transmit internet signals to the overhead satellites, which, in turn, propagate them to individual receivers (dishes) below.
Notably, Starlink employs numerous satellites in the low earth orbit, thus ensuring the signals travel a significantly short distance to the user terminals below.
Once the dish taps into the signal, it transfers the internet to the router, distributing it to other devices.
Starlink vs Mobile Hotspot: Speed and Latency
A Couple Happily Browsing.
Starlink Speed and Latency
Some Starlink users will get better speeds and latencies than others, depending on their location and internet plan. For instance, subscribers on Starlink RV are not assured of top speeds at all times, especially during peak use hours.
Also noteworthy is that the two main Starlink internet plans include Starlink Business and Residential.
Subscribers on Starlink Business can expect excellent download speeds of up to 220 Mbps. Upload speeds run between 8 and 20 Mbps, while the average Starlink latency is between 20 and 60 ms.
Starlink Residential is the most popular plan, as it’s the perfect fit for home use. It delivers excellent upload and download speeds of 5 to 10Mbps and 25 to 100Mbps, respectively.
Mobile Hotspot Speed and Latency
5G cellular repeaters on a mast.
4G LTE wireless technology is a popular cellular network service thanks to its widespread availability. It supports download speeds of about 30Mbps, which is quite decent for basic internet browsing applications.
However, there are some cellular network customers on the superior 5G network. Such subscribers enjoy exemplary download speeds of up to 1000 Mbps. Nonetheless, this is rare with the practical 5G speeds ranging from 50 to 250 Mbps.
How about the latency? A mobile hotspot usually records a relatively higher latency than Starlink. It averages about 60ms, making it second choice to Starlink for video streaming and online gaming.
Starlink vs Mobile Hotspot: Unlimited Data
Starlink has unlimited data access.
Earlier, Starlink capped data use at 1TB but has since removed the cap.
You can’t bet on unlimited data access when using a mobile hotspot. Even most cellular network plans that advertise unlimited plans have a cap.
This downside limits cellular internet to low data use applications like basic browsing.
Starlink vs Mobile Hotspot: Price
Cellular data is cheaper than Starlink.
Cellular data for mobile hotspot pricing varies depending on a range of factors that include the following:
- Network provider and available offers
- Type of device used to set the internet
- Data allowance.
The conventional way to set up a mobile hotspot is via a modem, and a basic one is cheaply available at around $50. There are more sophisticated modems at $200 to $500 with improved functionalities, such as 5G internet access.
Therefore, the price of cellular data and the providing device will determine the overall mobile hotspot cost.
Starlink is expensive, especially during installation, as it requires a $599 investment in the kit. Moreover, customers in this residential plan will pay $110 as the monthly service access fee.
Subscribers on Starlink Business pay more for the kit at $2,500. Therefore, setting up Starlink is expensive, and the monthly fees are overboard.
Conclusion
The choice between a mobile hotspot and Starlink depends on various reasons. First, you must consider which services have better availability at a particular location.
In rural and remote areas, Starlink is the best bet. A mobile hotspot will also work, but cellular connections are most robust in urban zones.