Starlink’s internet speeds are climbing again after a slight decline in the third quarter of 2023, according to data from Ookla’s speed test. The decline came after little speed fluctuation this year.
On average in the U.S., SpaceX-owned Starlink’s download speed was 64.54 Mbps in Q3 2023 — a “marginal” drop quarter on quarter, according to Ookla. Download speeds climbed from about 70 Mbps in September to about 79 Mbps in November.
While the Q3 speeds are an improvement Q3 2022, they’re far from the 100 Mbps Starlink achieved in the fourth quarter of 2021. It’s worth noting, however, that Starlink has significantly grown its customer base since 2021. More customers put a strain on the service’s capacity, but the provider’s continued satellite launches is offsetting bandwidth demand.
Starlink is “successfully managing to balance capacity and demand,” according to Ookla.
The speed test data comes as SpaceX owner Elon Musk’s internet endeavor has been striving to expand its service. This year, Starlink launched its second-generation satellites, announced that its third-generation satellites are in the works, and added a new terminal to its family of products.
The continued advancements will likely help SpaceX smooth out kinks in Starlink’s offerings and continue to draw in customers.