03333 447700Starlink satellite or mobile broadband... which is better?
If landline broadband is painfully slow where you live, you'll need an alternative solution to get good internet.
The two options to consider are mobile broadband or Starlink satellite. So, what are the differences and which should you choose?
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The bottom line?
It's mobile broadband - and here's why
Starlink satellite and mobile broadband compared
Starlink's satellite broadband service costs considerably more per month, as shown in the table below:-
| Service & Type | Full Speed Data Allowance | Max Speed | Average Speed | Monthly Cost inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5G Broadband | All data transmitted at full speed | 1000 Mbps | 100 - 200 Mbps | from £37.99 |
| 4G Broadband | All data transmitted at full speed | 150 Mbps | 25 - 40 Mbps | from £31.99 |
| Starlink Satellite | None | 185 Mbps | 80 - 120 Mbps | £75.00 |
| Starlink Satellite | 40GB of 'Priority Data' | 185 Mbps | 80 - 120 Mbps | £80.00 |
| Starlink Satellite | 1000GB of 'Priority Data' | 185 Mbps | 80 - 120 Mbps | £150.00 |
All information checked and correct as of Oct 1st 2024
For more on Priority Data, click on the tab above. Use the buttons below to check out our own 5G and and 4G broadband plans in depth, or to see detail on Starlink's monthly plans on its own website.
Nowadays, the average UK household gets through over 500GB of data every month. That's a lot of data.
Fortunately, with our 4G and 5G mobile broadband plans, all of the data you use is transmitted at the fastest speeds available at the time, all of the time. But with Starlink broadband, things are very different.
Starlink's broadband service has a feature called a 'Priority Data Allowance', which is the amount of data per month that is prioritised and so sent to you at full speed. Once you've used that allowance up, the rest of the month's broadband data is deprioritised, so your internet requests all then go to the back of the queue.
Starlink's 'Standard' plan costs £75 per month, but includes no 'Priority Data' at all, which isn't much use.
You can opt for a 'Priority' plan, but for only 40GB of monthly priority data, you'll be paying £80 per month. Or if you want 1,000 GB of monthly priority data, that will set you back an eyewatering £150 per month.
5G broadband: typically 100 - 200 Mbps
You're likely to see 5G broadband speeds around the 350 Mbps mark if there's good 5G signal available. However, because we don't overpromise, we set a performance expectation of 150 Mbps for 5G broadband.
4G broadband: typically 25 - 40 Mbps
If you live near a mast that's been 4G+ enabled, you could potentially see 4G speeds near 150 Mbps. But when measured across the whole country, the UK's 4G broadband speeds average around 30 Mbps.
Starlink broadband: typically 80 - 120Mbps
Newer satellite broadband services like Starlink can reach speeds of 150 Mbps or more - but only if data is 'prioritised', so it gets transmitted as soon as possible. If you're on Starlink and only able to use 'Standard' data, then the performance you'll get is liable to be significantly slower.
It's important to be aware of Starlink's 'Priority Data Allowances' - check the tab above for more detail.
| 5G Broadband | 4G Broadband | 4G Broadband | Starlink Broadband | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Within coverage | Strong coverage | Weak coverage | Anywhere |
| Equipment & Set-Up | From £49.00 | £99.00 | £199.00 | £299.00 |
| Shipping and Handling | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £20.00 |
| Professional Installation | N/A | N/A | £100.00 | Assumes self installation |
| Total Set-Up Costs | From £49.00 | £99.00 | £299.00 | £319.00 |
So the smart move is to try mobile broadband first
By now, 5G broadband is spreading fast to cover much more than just major towns and city centres. 4G is already available almost anywhere in the UK.
We deal with all four UK mobile networks, so we're able to choose the very best for your precise location. And if that doesn't perform, we'll seamlessly switch you over to another.
What's more, if you've got coverage, we can get either service up and running within a matter of days - so you don't have to wait any longer for fast and reliable broadband.
...plus there's no risk whatsoever in trying it out
With our 20+ years of experience, we're very confident in what we do. So much so that we've put our money where our mouth is with our no quibble Money Back Guarantee, giving complete peace of mind to any new customer trying our 4G or 5G broadband out.
And if we establish that there are no other options for your particular location, we'll then recommend Starlink for you
Still unsure about mobile broadband and considering Starlink?
Request a free no obligation coverage check on your location
Just fill out the form at the top of this page. We'll check that we can provide our fast and reliable 4G broadband where you are and get straight back to you
Starlink satellite and mobile broadband
Typical online performance and activities compared
| 5G Broadband | 4G Broadband | Starlink Satellite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming HD Video | Yes, including 4K UHD video streaming smoothly | Yes. 4K UHD video also possible but not guaranteed | Yes, including 4K UHD video without buffering |
| Video Calling | Yes. Excellent quality with minimal latency | Yes. High quality with low latency | Yes. High quality with low latency |
| Typical Download Speeds | 100 - 200 Mbps | 25 - 40 Mbps | 80 - 120 Mbps |
| Typical Download Time | 1 GB file in under 1 minute | 1 GB file in 4-5 minutes | 1 GB file in 1-2 minutes |
| Typical Upload Speeds | 15 - 25 Mbps | 5 - 15 Mbps | 5 - 20 Mbps |
| Latency | 10 - 30 ms | 20 - 50 ms | 25 - 60 ms |
| Monthly Cost | from £37.99 per month | from £31.99 per month | from £75.00 per month |
Much faster broadband doesn't have to cost £75 per month
Finally getting fast broadband is lifechanging, but what happens if you run into an issue?
With more and more everyday activities now involving being online, we understand exactly how essential it is nowadays for everyone to have fast and reliable broadband.
But with any broadband service, there's a possibility that you'll run into a problem once in a while - and that's when having access to top-notch support becomes all-important.
| Starlink Satellite | National Broadband | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephone Support |  |
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| UK-based Helpdesk | |
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| Support by Email | |
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At National Broadband, we know our customers depend on the mobile broadband we provide. That's why we're fiercely committed to providing the very best levels of customer service - something that we regularly get recognised for in Trustpilot reviews.
All our staff are UK-based and our telephone support desk is manned 7 days a week. So if you need us, we're just a phonecall away and ready to help.
Want to know more? Read on for extra detail
What is mobile broadband and how does it work?
Superfast 4G broadband is now available to around 99% of all UK properties and ultrafast 5G broadband is also spreading rapidly. Both are highly cost-effective and very quick to set up - in fact, we could get you up and running with mobile broadband in just a matter of days.
Mobile broadband uses the same signals as a smartphone to access the internet by connecting to a nearby mobile mast. This connection is then used to provide fast and reliable broadband to a single home or business. Just like any other broadband connection, the service can happily be used by multiple people or devices at the same time.
In places with strong 4G or 5G coverage, all that's needed is a special WiFi router and a SIM card on the mobile network that's best for your particular location - and since we're partnered with all four UK mobile network operators, we'll always choose the best for your specific location.
For more rural areas where 4G broadband is the go-to option, we can still provide great connectivity even if 4G coverage is weaker - including locations where mobile phones may only show flaky 4G signal levels.
We do this by installing a small but highly effective outdoor 4G antenna that makes a world of difference, latching onto available 4G signals and amplifying them before piping these down to the router inside a property.
And what is Starlink satellite broadband?
Starlink's satellite broadband service is another alternative method of providing a home or business with an internet connection that again doesn't depend on wires or landlines. Similar to the way that satellite TV works, it's beamed direct to properties from satellites orbiting the earth.
Each property wanting Starlink broadband will need to have a special dish installed which sends and receives broadband signals to and from the satellites in space. That dish is wired up to a special WiFi router inside a property so that the resulting internet connection can be shared.
Summary
There are always going to be pros and cons with any alternative broadband option chosen for locations let down by traditional landline providers.
However. the very first thing to do is to find out if your property is covered by 4G broadband (and these days, check for 5G broadband too) before even starting to consider a satellite broadband service like Starlink. As we've explained, a mobile broadband service is widely acknowledged as being by far the best alternative solution for those suffering with slow internet.
So why not get in touch and ask us to run a completely free coverage check on your precise location? First to see if we can get you broadband over 4G or 5G and then to establish which network would be best for exactly where you are (we can do this because we deal with all four UK mobile operators).
Remember, if you're in a strong 4G or 5G signal area, all you'll need is the appropriate router plus SIM card to get going. And more rural properties with weaker coverage can still get fast and stable broadband over 4G by having us install an outdoor antenna - including places where mobile phones may show very poor or flaky 4G signal. Best of all, we could have you up and running with much faster broadband in a matter of days.
Satellite broadband like Starlink's service remains a viable choice if not even 4G-based broadband is available at a particular location - but for all the reasons detailed, it should really only be viewed as the option of last resort.
Our commitment to you
We will always recommend the best possible broadband service for where you are
At National Broadband, we firmly believe that nobody should struggle with slow broadband and that having a good internet connection is an essential.
If we find that for any reason we are simply unable to provide you with a 4G- or 5G-based broadband service, we will then recommend a satellite broadband service like Starlink to you.
That's because we are genuinely committed to all UK homes and businesses having access to the best broadband possible at their particular location.
At National Broadband we've got over 20 years of experience in delivering genuinely life-changing broadband to those suffering with the slowest internet connectivity. Use the buttons below to find out how we can help you out of the digital doldrums.