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Experts Reveal Details About the Limitations of Starlink Internet in Cities and the Challenges Faced by Users Who Rely on Stable Connections for Work, Studies, or Leisure.
Recently, a study conducted by communication technology expert Sascha Meinrath reignited the debate about the real efficiency of Starlink, especially in densely populated urban areas.
The survey indicates that connection performance tends to drop significantly when there are a large number of simultaneous users, a phenomenon that raises questions about the classification of Starlink as high-quality broadband.
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Starlink and the Promise of Satellite Internet
According to the research, Starlink — composed of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit — shows satisfactory performance mainly in rural areas, remote locations, or environments with few physical obstacles, such as buildings and trees.
In these scenarios, Elon Musk’s technology can represent a relevant solution for isolated communities, providing internet access where traditional infrastructures, like fiber optics, do not reach or are economically unviable.
However, the study reveals that in cities, user experience tends to be characterized by instabilities and speed drops.
Main Challenges Faced by Urban Users
Researcher Sascha Meinrath points out that satellite broadband heavily depends on the number of people connected in a given region and the number of satellites available in the sky.
When demand is high, especially during peak hours, connection speeds experience sharp drops, often falling below the minimum requirements set by international regulatory bodies to be considered “broadband”.
This situation had already been recognized previously by Elon Musk himself, who, in social media posts, alerted to the challenge of maintaining service quality as the user base grows.
Another point raised by the study is the influence of physical barriers on Starlink internet performance.
In urban areas, where buildings, trees, and poles are numerous, latency — the time interval between sending and receiving data — tends to increase.
This effect hinders activities such as video calls, live broadcasts, and sending large files.
For this reason, urban residents are often advised by experts to prefer internet via fiber optics or fifth-generation mobile networks (5G), which offer greater stability, speed, and low latency.
Origin and Objectives of Starlink
The Starlink constellation was conceived to meet needs in remote locations, such as ships at sea, aircraft in flight, or scientific stations in areas like Antarctica.
In 2023, Bloomberg had already published interviews in which Elon Musk reiterated that the initial target audience for the project has always been regions with low coverage of traditional internet, not large urban centers.
Recent evaluations, however, indicate that even with the near-daily launch of new satellites, there are still “coverage gaps,” especially in countries with large geographical areas.
Starlink Connection Speed and Limitations
Another relevant piece of information concerns the connection speed of Starlink.
According to technical reports, in urban environments, the average speed recorded often falls below the 25 Mbps (megabits per second) recommended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. regulatory agency, for broadband connections.
This limitation can compromise the experience of users who rely on high speeds for professional, educational, or leisure activities.
In addition to physical obstacles, system overload is also a concerning factor.
The increase in the number of subscribers, especially in metropolitan areas, has amplified reports of instability, according to research released between 2024 and July 2025.
In many cases, consumers report signal fluctuations, momentary interruptions, and difficulty maintaining stable connections during intensive use.
Expansion of the Constellation and Technical Challenges
To try to overcome these failures and ensure greater coverage, SpaceX has been expanding its network of satellites in orbit.
According to the company itself, new equipment is launched almost every day, with the promise of filling any remaining gaps and providing greater reliability for Starlink internet.
However, experts warn that simply increasing the number of satellites may not be sufficient without significant advances in processing and signal distribution capacity on the ground, in addition to improving the supporting terrestrial infrastructure.
Economic Viability and Comparison with Other Technologies
The business model of Starlink also contributes to the discussion about the viability of the service in urban environments.
With a subscription price considered high compared to other fixed and mobile internet services, SpaceX’s solution finds greater acceptance in places where competing options are nonexistent or limited.
In metropolitan regions, however, competition with fiber optic providers and mobile operators has made it difficult to expand the customer base.
Regulatory Criteria and Broadband Standards
Regarding regulation, different countries have adopted their own criteria to define what is considered broadband, taking into account minimum speed, latency, and connection stability.
In Brazil, the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) determines that fixed broadband connections must have a minimum contracted speed of 80% of the maximum value advertised by the provider, in addition to acceptable latency limits for real-time activities.
The Future of Satellite Internet in Urban Areas
The global scenario highlights that Starlink can be revolutionary in infrastructure-deficient regions, but still faces barriers to consolidating itself as the primary alternative in densely populated urban areas.
Constant improvements to the network, as well as the technological evolution of satellites and receiving antennas, will determine the future of the service in the coming years.
The question that arises is: do you believe that Starlink’s satellite internet will be able to compete with fiber optics and 5G in major cities, or will its role remain restricted to remote areas?
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