New research comparing Starlink with 4G and 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) has highlighted the role satellite connectivity could play in addressing connectivity challenges in rural areas.
The study from Opensignal analysed broadband performance across 14 European markets, comparing Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network with FWA services delivered over mobile networks.
The results showed a noticeable difference between rural and urban performance.
Starlink leads on rural download speeds
Across all 14 markets included in the study, Starlink recorded faster average rural download speeds than the FWA providers measured.
Starlink users recorded an average rural download speed of around 82Mbps, more than twice the average recorded by FWA providers.
The difference between urban and rural FWA performance was also significant, with average FWA download speeds falling by around 40% between urban and rural locations.
The UK results provide one example of the contrast.
Three UK, the fastest FWA provider measured in the country, recorded an average download speed of 81.2Mbps in urban areas, compared with 32.4Mbps in rural locations.
Starlink, meanwhile, recorded an average of 80.8Mbps.
This meant the two technologies delivered very similar average download speeds in the urban comparison, while a much larger difference emerged in rural areas.
Speed isn’t the whole picture
The research also looked at Consistent Quality, a measure designed to indicate how often a connection provides an experience suitable for common activities such as video calls, streaming and other everyday applications.
Here, the picture was more mixed.
Across many of the markets studied, leading FWA providers performed better than Starlink for Consistent Quality, despite Starlink’s stronger rural download speeds.
The findings therefore don’t suggest that one technology is universally better than another. Instead, they demonstrate how significantly connectivity performance can vary according to location, infrastructure and the requirements of the user.
It’s also important to note that the research focused on FWA services delivered through mobile networks. Smaller dedicated fixed wireless networks using other technologies were not included in the comparison.
The evolving role of satellite connectivity
The findings are particularly interesting for organisations operating beyond major towns and cities.
Rural and remote locations can present very different connectivity challenges to well-served urban areas. Extending terrestrial infrastructure into these locations can require additional network sites, spectrum and investment. Our guide to rural broadband options in the UK compares the main choices side by side.
LEO satellite networks take a different approach, providing connectivity from space rather than relying on the presence of nearby terrestrial infrastructure. We explain how that works in How does satellite internet work in the UK?
For businesses, this is helping to expand the connectivity options available for locations that may previously have been difficult to serve.
It can be particularly relevant for remote sites, temporary operations and organisations working across geographically dispersed locations where access to suitable terrestrial connectivity varies from site to site. It also works alongside an existing line as a failover connection.
As satellite networks continue to develop, research such as this provides an interesting indication of where the technology is already making a difference.
For businesses, the wider message is perhaps more important than the headline speed comparison: the right connectivity solution depends on where you operate, what infrastructure is available and what your operations require from the connection.
Source: Opensignal research, reported by ISPreview, 13 October 2026.