With Starlink internet now being publicly beta tested in parts of the U.S and Canada, and a number of other companies also chomping at the bit to begin low-Earth orbit testing, many rural North Americans are looking forward to the benefit of improved internet connection. Even in the snow, SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet looks to perform well and without any major interruptions, according to a new video that has come to light.
In a video uploaded Tuesday to the YouTube channel owned by Brett Batie, the latter shows viewers his SpaceX, Starlink user interface while conducting snowy, cloud covered speed tests. The video begins with Batie’s snowy backyard landscape, and takes the user through the app process of testing speeds.
In the first speed test, Batie lands an 84 Mbps result, a rather fast connection for snowy weather and satellite internet. In a subsequent test, the internet speed landed at 105.30 Mbps, an even faster result than the first test.
While the latency is even lower than one might expect in snowy weather, Batie also sees later tests begin to slow down significantly, and thus shares that he believes a cloud had moved over the area.
Also really cool to see is how well the Starlink dish can melt snow. The SpaceX team can control these melting rates through software updates.
Regardless, the fact that any rural internet user could achieve speeds up to 100 Mbps and in the snow, no less, is a major 2020 breakthrough, and largely unheard of from other satellite internet ISPs. Which can mean only one thing – Starlink is here to stay.
