Ookla study shows only 17 percent of Starlink service meets BEAD requirements
Ookla's Q1 2025 Speedtest data indicates that only 17.4% of Starlink users in the US experienced speeds meeting the minimum requirements for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.
The BEAD program requires broadband service to deliver download speeds of at least 100 Mbps, upload speeds of 20 Mbps, and latency below or equal to 100 milliseconds.
While Starlink's median download speed (104.71 Mbps) in Q1 2025 exceeded the download requirement, its median upload speed (14.84 Mbps) did not meet the 20 Mbps threshold. The Ookla report attributes this mainly to low upload speeds.
However, Starlink's latency performance does meet BEAD requirements, with a median latency of 45 ms in Q1 2025, which is well below the 100 ms threshold.
It is important to note that the BEAD program recently adopted a technology-neutral stance, making Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems like Starlink eligible for funding alongside other technologies like fiber, provided they meet the performance standards. Some states, like Maine and Texas, have already started programs that subsidize Starlink service for rural residents, signaling a potential for increased integration of LEO technology in broadband expansion efforts.
Despite the current speed limitations, Starlink's performance has shown significant improvement over the past few years, with median download speeds nearly doubling since Q3 2022. The ongoing deployment of satellites aims to further enhance network capacity and potentially lead to gigabit speeds.
Therefore, while Starlink's current performance doesn't consistently meet all BEAD requirements, its continuous improvement and the program's evolving stance suggest that it may play a role in bridging the broadband gap in unserved and underserved areas, particularly those deemed extremely high cost for fiber deployment.
