Starlink's potential in Germany – bigger than expected
A new study from TH Mittelhessen shows Elon Musk's satellite service could shake up Germany's broadband market more than expected. 13 million households could be served – at prices that undercut DSL.
The potential of Elon Musk’s satellite service Starlink in Germany is bigger than previously assumed.
Since coming back from Silicon Valley I’ve been watching for genuinely innovative ideas. In telecoms, those are scarce. Starlink is the exception.
📡 Now Elon Musk could shake up the industry.
A new study by TH Mittelhessen shows: Starlink’s potential in Germany is significantly larger than expected. The notable detail: behind the study is BREKO, the German broadband association – bringing together many of the companies Starlink is now challenging.
🔎 The key findings:
→ Starlink could serve up to 13 million households – at around 100 Mbit/s.
→ Prices have been cut substantially: from €29 per month, cheaper than many DSL tariffs.
→ Already today, 83,000 households in Germany use satellite internet – almost all of them via Starlink.
→ Especially in rural areas, Starlink is becoming a real alternative.
⚔️ The competition is responding:
Vodafone is building its own satellite network with AST. Deutsche Telekom is going for a partnership with Skylo in Europe. At the same time, SpaceX is investing $17 billion in the US to become more independent of mobile carriers.
📱 And: Starlink is working on connecting smartphones directly – a step many considered impossible only a few years ago.
I wrote the full piece for Handelsblatt. This is a first impression.