One million UK households claim they are already using satellite broadband[1] — which is set to get faster with Elon Musk’s next-generation project Starlink — but two thirds of people say £500 set-up fees would put them off[2]
Almost one million rural households say it could be a lifeline as their current connection is so poor[3], with almost 200,000 UK homes enduring speeds under 10Mbps[4]
Three quarters of consumers have never heard of any satellite broadband providers, while one in ten know of Elon Musk’s Starlink project[5]
Only a quarter of Brits believe they can get satellite broadband[6], despite it being widely available, and almost half fear their local weather would be too bad for it[7]
As BT joins forces with satellite broadband provider OneWeb to boost rural connections, half of users said it offered a better service than traditional broadband in their area[8]
Uswitch.com advises rural residents to check how their current connection compares to what’s available, and consider alternative broadband types.
It’s not just billionaires Elon Musk, Sir Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos who are heading for space — more than one million UK households are already using satellite broadband[1]], according to research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
However, despite the appeal of the new type of connection, set-up costs of about £500 are deterring two thirds of consumers from trying the technology[2
Satellite broadband can offer a more reliable service for people in areas that are poorly served by traditional connections, for example those in rural areas. Data is beamed from a satellite to a dish on the property, so the technology doesn’t rely on cables being laid to the home.
Set-up fees can be expensive due to the need to install a satellite dish, but users say they pay £29.70 a month on average for the service, compared to an average £33.60 for all broadband users[9].
Almost one million rural households say satellite broadband could be a lifeline due to their unreliable or slow existing connections[3]. Almost 200,000 UK homes are currently struggling with speeds lower than 10Mbps — the level that Ofcom considers a decent service[4].
Coverage from satellite broadband is set to become universal, but only a quarter of households (27%) believe it is available in their area[6].
Tesla billionaire Elon Musk began a UK trial of his Starlink satellite broadband system in January and hopes it will have 500,000 users worldwide within a year[10], while BT has joined forces with operator OneWeb to provide connections to people in remote areas[11]. Other existing UK satellite broadband providers include Broadband Everywhere, Freedomsat, KONNECT and Satellite Internet.
Despite the growth of the technology, only two fifths of consumers (41%) are aware of satellite broadband[12], and only one in seven consumers (14%) have considered trying it out[13]. Part of the problem may be a lack of brand recognition, with three quarters of UK consumers not having heard of any satellite broadband providers. Starlink is the best known, recognised by one in ten people[5].
Extreme weather can affect a satellite broadband connection, with heavy rain on wind potentially reducing speeds or even causing an outage[14]. Almost half of consumers (46%) fear the weather in their area would be too bad for satellite broadband.
More than half of satellite broadband users (53%) say it offers a better alternative than traditional connections, with two fifths (41%) saying it is faster than the alternatives, and three in ten (31%) believing it to be cheaper[6].
Uswitch advises rural residents to use a speed checker to see whether their Wi-Fi is delivering the speed it should, and offers tips on alternatives to traditional providers. For more information, see Uswitch’s guide to satellite broadband.
Ernest Doku, broadband expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Satellite broadband is being thrust into the limelight by entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, and it’s amazing to think that more than one million UK households are already getting their internet this way.
“The technology is improving all the time, and with big players like Starlink entering the UK market, connections are only going to get faster and more reliable.
“Satellite broadband offers hope to residents in rural areas who have struggled to get a decent connection from traditional providers, and we’ll be watching to see how BT’s partner with OneWeb grows over the coming years.
“While it’s tempting to think that one technology can solve the problem of the digital divide, there is no single solution to rural broadband.
“Many households are still on ADSL connections and enduring slow speeds unnecessarily, unaware that in many cases they could upgrade to fibre broadband and still save themselves money.
“Anyone who is still battling with slow broadband should run a speed test to find out how reliable the connection really is. If you’re not happy with the results, run a comparison online and see if you can get both a better deal and a faster service.”
Find out how you could save nearly £1,000 a year with Uswitch here.
Notes to editors:
Opinium surveyed a sample of 4,002 UK adults from the 28th May to 1st June 2021. Results were weighted to reflect a nationally representative criteria.
1. Respondents were asked ‘What is your current broadband connection?’ 5% of respondents (189 people) replied ‘satellite broadband’. 189 / 4,002 = 4.7%. 4.7% of 27.6 million UK households = 1.3 million households with satellite broadband.
2. Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? The set-up costs would put me off trying satellite broadband.’ 66% of people agreed with the statement.
3. Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Satellite broadband could be a real lifeline to me as my current broadband is so poor’ 14% of rural residents (142 respondents) agreed. 142 / 4,002 = 3.5% of respondents. 3.5% x 27.6 million UK households = 979,310 rural households that say satellite broadband could be a lifeline.
4. Ofcom: Connected Nations
5. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the following satellite broadband providers have you heard of? Select all that apply.’ 75% had not heard of any of the options. 10% of respondents had heard of Starlink.
6. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the broadband options do you believe are available in your area?’ 27% of people believed that satellite broadband was available in their area. Only 24% of rural residents believed it was available.
7. Respondents were asked ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? The weather in my area would be too unpredictable for satellite broadband?’ 46% of people agreed.
8. Respondents were asked ‘Why have you chosen satellite broadband rather than traditional options? Select all that apply.’ 41% of satellite broadband users said ‘Satellite offered cheaper prices than traditional broadband’. 31% said ‘Satellite offered faster speeds than traditional broadband’. 18% said ‘There are frequent problems with the broadband in my area’. 11% said ‘My area has no coverage from traditional providers’. In total, 53% of satellite broadband providers said either ‘traditional broadband is slower’, ‘no coverage’ or ‘frequent problems’.
9. Respondents were asked ‘How much do you pay a month for your current connection?’ Satellite broadband users’ average reply was £29.70. The average for all broadband users was £33.60.
10. BBC News: Elon Musk sets out Starlink goals
11. BBC News: BT and OneWeb sign rural broadband deal
12. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the following broadband options have you heard of?’ 41% of people had heard of satellite broadband.
13. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the broadband options have you considered?’ 14% of people had considered satellite broadband.
14. Starlink: FAQs - I live in an area with heavy rain, snow, or wind—can I still use Starlink?
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
