Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence report has compared the internet speed offered by satellite providers such as HughesNet, Starlink and Viasat during Q2 2021.
U.S.
Starlink was the only satellite internet provider in the United States with fixed-broadband-like latency figures, and median download speeds at 97.23 Mbps during Q2 2021 vs 65.72 Mbps in Q1 2021.
HughesNet was a distant second at 19.73 Mbps vs 15.07 Mbps in Q1 2021 and Viasat third at 18.13 Mbps vs 17.67 Mbps in Q1 2021.
HughesNet, Starlink and Viasat do not offer 115.22 Mbps download speed provided by fixed broadband providers in the U.S. during Q2 2021.
Starlink’s upload speed of 13.89 Mbps was closer to that on fixed broadband (17.18 Mbps in Q2 2021, 15.99 Mbps in Q1 2021). Viasat had the second fastest upload speed among satellite providers at 3.38 Mbps (3.48 in Q1 2021). HughesNet was third (2.43 Mbps in Q1 and Q2 2021).
Brazil
Viasat’s 60.30 Mbps download speed during Q2 2021 in Brazil was very close to the national average for fixed broadband of 61.38 Mbps. Viasat’s median upload speed (1.05 Mbps) was much slower than that on fixed broadband (28.75 Mbps), and Viasat’s latency was much higher (613 ms vs 7 ms).
Canada
Starlink’s download speed exceeded that of fixed broadband in Canada (86.92 Mbps vs. 84.24 Mbps), making Starlink a reasonable alternative to fixed broadband in Canada. Starlink’s upload speed was slower than fixed broadband (13.63 Mbps vs. 17.76 Mbps).
Chile
At 15.43 Mbps, the download speed for HughesNet in Chile during Q2 2021 was not fast, especially compared with the country’s fixed broadband average of 111.94 Mbps. Upload speeds also showed a wide gap (3.23 Mbps for HughesNet to 39.48 Mbps on fixed broadband).
Colombia
Fixed broadband speeds in Colombia are slower than in other countries surveyed. HughesNet showed a download speed of 9.28 Mbps, compared with Colombia’s 35.90 Mbps for fixed broadband. Upload speed was also slower using the satellite internet provider (3.03 Mbps) than fixed broadband (8.56 Mbps), and latency was much higher on satellite (799 ms vs. 17 ms).
France
Satellite internet users in France saw the fastest median download speeds from Starlink of all countries surveyed during Q2 2021. At 139.39 Mbps, Starlink’s download speed beat the country-wide average for fixed broadband of 70.81 Mbps. Starlink’s upload speed at 29.35 Mbps was slower than the fixed broadband average.
Germany
Starlink’s download and upload speeds were much faster than the country averages for fixed broadband in Q2 2021.
Mexico
Mexico has options when it comes to satellite internet, and the faster of the two options appears to be Viasat, for now. With a download speed of 13.95 Mbps in Mexico, Viasat was faster than HughesNet (11.92 Mbps) but slower than the country’s average for fixed broadband (29.99 Mbps).
Median upload speed told a similar story, though HughesNet was slightly faster than Viasat (3.25 Mbps vs. 2.01 Mbps). While Viasat’s latency was high (672 ms vs 13 ms for fixed broadband), it was lower than HughesNet’s (714 ms).
New Zealand
Starlink’s download speed was much faster than New Zealand’s average fixed broadband download speed during Q2 2021 (127.02 Mbps vs. 78.85 Mbps), and the upload speeds were nearly identical (23.61 Mbps vs. 23.51 Mbps).
United Kingdom
Starlink showed a much faster median download speed in the U.K. during Q2 2021 (108.30 Mbps) than the country’s average for fixed broadband (50.14 Mbps). Starlink’s upload speed was also slightly faster (15.64 Mbps vs. 14.76 Mbps).
