Image: Starlink
SpaceX has dramatically increased Starlink’s network performance in 2025, with the satellite internet provider’s median peak-hour speeds rising by more than 50% since the start of the year.
According to Starlink VP of Engineering Michael Nicolls (@michaelnicollsx), the average download speed across the network now exceeds 200 Mbps, while typical upload speeds are above 30 Mbps. Median global latency is sitting around 26 ms, indicating steady improvements in both speed and responsiveness.
A graph shared by Nicolls shows consistent growth throughout the year, with median download speeds rising from around 145 Mbps in January to over 220 Mbps by October. Upload speeds have climbed as well, from roughly 18 Mbps to over 30 Mbps during the same period. The most recent boost to network performance began around August.
This improvement comes before the launch of Starlink’s next-generation V3 satellites, which are expected to bring even more capacity and faster speeds once they start deploying aboard SpaceX’s fully reusable Starship rocket next year. SpaceX hopes to enable gigabit speeds once enough V3 satellites are in orbit.
The news follows Starlink recently updating its advertised speeds for Residential customers, which now list downloads of up to 400 Mbps using the company’s Standard dish. Several users have reported real-world speeds approaching or even exceeding that figure, depending on factors like local network congestion, satellite visibility, and connection quality. While individual performance can vary, the trend is clear — average Starlink speeds continue to climb.
These latest gains build on SpaceX’s earlier performance milestones. Between Q3 2022 and Q1 2025, Starlink nearly doubled speeds in the U.S., but this year’s jump has outpaced even that and brings improvements across the globe. The acceleration coincides with the company’s rapid expansion — SpaceX recently launched its 10,000th Starlink satellite and now serves over seven million users in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide.
In parallel, SpaceX has been pushing to make Starlink more accessible through promotions like free hardware rentals in the U.S. and, more recently, Canada. With faster speeds, more satellites in orbit, and the upcoming V3 constellation on the horizon, Starlink’s performance trajectory looks better than ever.
