Starlink FTW

For many years, I was spoiled by gigabit internet speed in Longmont. The city’s fiber network was inexpensive, screaming fast, and amazing all around. Then I moved to the sticks, and I was faced with only two internet options: CenturyLink with a 10Mbps download speed and a 768kbps upload speed (what is this, 1998?), or an $18,000 investment to have Spectrum run a coaxial cable from the highway at the bottom of my driveway up to the house. I’ve limped along with CenturyLink for almost two years now. To be honest, it’s not completely awful; I’ve been able to have video calls (albeit choppy) and do most everything I want on the internet, albeit much more slowly than I’m accustomed.

But today, I set up my shiny new Starlink antenna and connected to the satellites whizzing overhead. Suddenly I’m using the internet like a civilized man:

At one point I was seeing 140Mbps download speeds, but it’s well known that Starlink’s speeds vary quite a bit because the constellation isn’t finished yet. Technically the entire system is still in “beta”. But wow, it’s so much better than before!

Now I just have to figure out how to mount the dang thing on my roof, instead of having it sit in the middle of my courtyard…