Starlink speeds went down again in Q3

Elon Muskcould really use a win right now.

As the new Twitter CEOtries his hardest to do…whatever he’s trying to do over there, one of Musk’s other business ventures is also suffering a bit, though perhaps from its own success. The latest internet speed reportfrom Ookla (Note: Ookla and Mashable both belong to the same parent company, Ziff Davis) indicates that Starlink speeds dropped at least 17 percent in the United States during the third quarter of 2022. This could be a result of the network’s rapid expansion across the country.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk ready to 'go to war' with Apple over Twitter dispute

To be fair, that’s not a massivedrop from where it was when we last checked in on Starlinkin September. Back then, the median download speed had dipped to as low as around 60Mbps. Now, it’s at 50Mbps. That isn’t fastby any means, but if all you need to do is browse the web and stream music and video content, it’s more than enough. And if Starlink is the only reasonable option in your area (as it may be for rural Americans), that’ll have to do.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Speaking of rapid expansion, Ookla included a handy graphic showcasing just how much the network has grown in the U.S. between 2021 and 2022. Counties highlighted in pink have at least 10 unique Starlink users living in them. As you can see, the network is under a lot more stress now than it used to be.

---

Related Stories

---

• Starlink may slow down users if they use too much data
• Elon Musk ready to 'go to war' with Apple over Twitter dispute
• Elon Musk says he'll make his own smartphone if Apple bans Twitter
• Elon Musk says there will be three 'verified' Twitter checkmarks: blue, gold, and grey
• Elon Musk says Twitter will give 'amnesty' to suspended accounts from next week

So much pink. Credit: Ookla

The important thing is that, at least according to Ookla’s metrics, Starlink continues to work despite the adversity it’s facing. We’ll see if Twitter holds up the same way going forward.