Starlink speeds ahead in the satellite race but rivals aren't starstruck just yet

SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband service has become the provider to beat on speed, according to network intelligence outfit Ookla, although the company faces competition coming soon from a rash of rivals.

In speed tests conducted by Ookla during the second quarter of 2023, Starlink turned out to be the fastest among the satellite providers it surveyed, delivering median download speeds of over 100Mbps in 14 European countries.

Looking more broadly across the 27 European countries surveyed, Starlink managed greater than 90Mbps in 20 of those, higher than 80Mbps in 24 countries, with only three countries failing to see speeds of at least 70Mbps.

The picture hasn't always been so rosy, with the Musk-owned platform experiencing difficulties over the past year or so as new customers flocked to sign up, leading to a decline in download speeds as Starlink struggled to manage the increased burden.

Ookla found that median ...