According to recent data from Ookla(Opens in a new window), customer satisfaction among individuals who have obtained a coveted Starlink satellite hookup is high compared to conventional fixed broadband providers, especially in non-metro areas.
Ookla plotted Starlink and its ISP competitors' net promoter scores (NPS) based on its own Speedtest data. How likely a respondent is to recommend a service to family and friends is measured by the NPS, which is typically calculated on a scale of zero to 100 (though it can go as low as -100). According to Ookla, "the NPS difference between Starlink and all fixed broadband providers combined is stark."
Starlink had a metro NPS of 31.94 in Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 compared to a combined metro fixed broadband NPS of -23.62. Despite Starlink having a median download speed of 65.29 Mbps compared to 203.93 Mbps for all metro fixed broadband providers combined, SpaceX's satellite internet service won out, according to Ookla.
In more rural locations, Starlink scores 42.21 instead of -21.27. Ookla notes that the median download speed for Starlink was substantially closer to the non-metro fixed broadband speed at 72.18Mbps to 100.41Mbps, making this particularly noteworthy.
According to Ookla content specialist Josh Fomon, "Starlink clearly provides a much-loved option for more rural, non-metro users who frequently don't have many good—if any—internet options." The users of Starlink are more than happy to endorse the service and adore the internet they are receiving, and this is sending a loud and obvious message.
Of course, Starlink is a relatively new player in the online community. And those who signed up are quite excited to receive it. Many individuals in rural locations are merely delighted to have internet connection that doesn't require them to tap into their cellular data for streaming, gaming, and Zoom conversations, despite the cost and possibility for congestion as SpaceX builds out its satellite array.
Traditional fixed broadband providers, who have been in business for many years and occasionally enjoy a monopoly even in the largest cities, aren't nearly as popular. The top ISPs, Spectrum and Comcast Xfinity, scored 6.6 in PCMag's 2022 Readers' Choice survey for ISPs (which we rank on a scale from zero to 10 for NPS). In contrast, Starlink scored an 8.7 in our survey; AT&T Fibre was the only ISP to outperform it with an 8.8.
By launching new satellites, Starlink, which employs orbiting satellites to beam broadband to internet users on the ground, has aimed to increase speeds and expand its client base. An additional 56 satellites were launched last week, bringing the total number in orbit to 4023.
Given claims that users have complained that the satellite ISP takes forever to respond to customer concerns, with some users reportedly waiting weeks for solutions to problems, Starlink's excellent customer satisfaction scores may raise some eyebrows.
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