• Starlink’s expansion in Europe pays off.
• Latency drops significantly, especially for Western Europe.

SpaceX’s Starlink has been strengthening its position as a serious broadband contender in Europe. While satellite internet has traditionally been a go-to option for regions with limited fibre access, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are becoming an increasing part of Europe’s connectivity landscape, even in places where fibre is widespread.</p

Starlink has launched a network of more than 7,000 satellites, securing its position in the LEO market. It has seen a rise in adoption in Europe, including in unexpected places like London, where the network has reached capacity. To keep up with demand, SpaceX has expanded the number of ground stations and launched a wave of new satellites, particularly in the last half of 2024. But, as fibre broadband expands across the continent, can Starlink maintain its competitive advantage? Here’s a look at how its latest investments are improving speeds, cutting down latency, and shaping its role in Europe’s internet market.

Faster speeds and smoother streaming: Starlink’s latency and performance gains

One of the biggest criticisms of satellite internet has always been latency – the delay in data travelling between the user and the network. Unlike fibre, which keeps data moving at ground level, satellite connections have to send signals to space and back, which is slower. But Starlink’s LEO constellation has flipped the script by drastically reducing these delays.

Over the past two years, Starlink’s median latency across Europe has dropped significantly, closing the gap with traditional broadband. In Q4 2024, countries like the UK (41 ms), Belgium (46 ms), and Luxembourg (46 ms) saw the lowest Starlink latencies on the continent. The improvement has made video streaming, web browsing, and gaming smoother for users, with shorter load times and less lag. SpaceX has achieved this by expanding its European satellite network, increasing inter-satellite links for more direct routing and adding ground stations to improve terrestrial connectivity.

While Starlink still trails fibre in overall latency, its performance is improving faster than fixed broadband in most European countries, a trend that could reshape how people view satellite internet.

However, latency still varies by region. Countries like Cyprus (144 ms) and Malta (106 ms) experience much longer average lag, most likely due to fewer ground stations, whereas Nordic countries, despite leading in traditional broadband speeds, also experience higher Starlink latency.

Download speeds: Signs of recovery

While latency has gradually improved, Starlink’s download speeds have become less stable. Speeds dipped across Central Europe in 2022 and 2023 due to growing demand and network congestion. Germany, for example, saw a 31% drop in speed, while Switzerland recorded a 24% drop. But Q4 2024 signalled a turnaround, with Starlink speeds rebounding in many regions. Croatia (up ~70%) and Greece (up ~65%) saw the biggest jumps, pushing them into the ranks of Europe’s fastest Starlink connections.

Even markets that previously struggled – like Germany and Switzerland – experienced quarter-on-quarter improvements for the first time in two years.

What changed? SpaceX’s aggressive satellite deployments in late 2024 likely played a role, adding new capacity to alleviate network strain. However, whether this recovery will hold remains an open question as Starlink continues to scale.

Despite the uptick, Starlink is losing its speed advantage in many regions. In Q4 2024 it still outperformed the average fixed broadband speeds in countries like Greece, Croatia, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Estonia, but the number of countries where it holds a clear edge is shrinking as fibre networks expand. Even so, Starlink continues to deliver solid performance metrics beyond just speed. In markets like the UK, its connection reliability is on par with many fixed broadband providers, and it has narrowed the quality-of-experience gap in video streaming and gaming.

Where Starlink wins: Rural markets and fibre gaps

Starlink’s adoption across Europe isn’t uniform. Highly urbanised countries with widespread fibre coverage, like the Nordics and Benelux, have lower usage rates. These regions already have fast and affordable broadband, making Starlink less attractive – especially when competing against fixed wireless options. But in Central and Southern Europe, the story is different. Countries like Germany, Greece, and Croatia – where fibre penetration is below the EU average – have higher Starlink adoption. Here, Starlink often offers better speeds than local broadband, making it a viable alternative.

Germany, in particular, is an interesting case. Despite being one of Europe’s largest economies, it lags behind in fibre rollout and has some of the highest broadband prices in the EU. This has made Starlink a compelling option for users frustrated with slow or expensive fixed broadband options.

The company is also exploring niche use cases in addition to home internet. Starlink is being used for events, mobile connectivity, and business applications like payment processing in cities such as London where traditional broadband is readily available.

The next frontier: Starlink’s push into direct-to-device (D2D) services

Starlink’s ambitions in Europe aren’t just about home broadband. SpaceX is gearing up for the next big leap: direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity, which will allow unmodified smartphones to connect directly to Starlink satellites. The move, powered by SpaceX’s new Gen2 satellites, could open up entirely new markets and disrupt mobile networks. SpaceX, however the only player in the LEO race. Amazon’s Project Kuiper is planning to launch over 1,000 satellites by mid-2026, while AST SpaceMobile is betting big on D2D with a growing constellation. As competition heats up, the question remains: Can Starlink maintain its dominance, or will new challengers change the game?

Final thoughts

Starlink has made remarkable progress in Europe, enhancing latency, download speeds, and overall user experience. But the broadband landscape is shifting quickly. As fibre broadband expands and new satellite players enter the market, Starlink will need to keep innovating to stay ahead. For now, its combination of satellite density, ground infrastructure, and aggressive expansion strategy has helped it maintain a strong position – especially in regions where fixed broadband still has gaps. But the real test will be whether it can sustain its performance gains while scaling to meet increasing demand. With the push into direct-to-device services and the ongoing LEO competition, the next few years will be important in determining Starlink’s long-term role in Europe’s connectivity ecosystem.

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