SpaceX is reportedly seeking the help of Cloudfare to increase the speed of its Starlink satellite internet service. Cloudfare describes itself as a large network of servers that can improve the security, performance, and reliability of anything connected to the internet.
SpaceX has seen popularity of its Starlink service increase rapidly since it first debuted in October 2020, with the last update from the company in May 2023 saying they had over 1.5 million subscribers. That rapid rise in popularity has come with its own set of growing pains, most noticeably with network congestion and lower internet speeds.
Now SpaceX has turned to Cloudfare to change that. According to a report from The Information, citing a source with direct knowledge of the plans, the two companies are working together to grow the network of Starlink’s terrestrial mini data centers around the world, which would deliver faster internet speed to its customers.
According to SpaceX’s website, Starlink users can expect download speeds ranging from 25 to 220 Mbps, with the “majority” experiencing speeds surpassing 100 Mbps. Upload speeds fall within the range of 5 to 20 Mbps. However in areas with a high number of users, like in Canada and the US, those speeds are more towards the lower end of that range, 65.8 Mpbs and 53 Mpbs respectively, according to a study by Ookla.
Starlink is now available in more than 60 countries around the world. The most recent addition to the network was the Bahamas, which welcomed the service earlier this month.
