Is Starlink the Honey Pot for the Wop-Wops or a Hairy Bear Trap? The I.T. Bear Investigates.
G'day team,
Paul here. Let's have a bit of a yarn about the internet. It seems like you can't open a web browser these days without seeing an ad for Starlink, mobile broadband, or some new-fangled way to get online. The confusion is bear-ly believable!
We get calls all the time from folks in a right muddle. "Should I ditch my Fibre for Starlink, Paul?" "Is 5G better than that satellite thingy?" "What's the actual, sweet-as deal?"
It's a digital forest out there, and it’s easy to get lost. So, let's hibernate for a minute and chew on the facts.
The King of the Forest: Good Old Fibre
Let’s get this out of the way first, clear as a mountain spring: If you can get Fibre to your house, get Fibre.
Full stop. End of story. Don't pass Go, just sign up.
Why? Because Fibre is a dedicated, physical line of glass running right into your den. It’s paws-itively the best option for speed, reliability, and (this is the big one) low latency.
"Latency" is the delay it takes for data to get from you to the server and back. Fibre has almost zero.
Starlink, for all its flashiness, can't beat Fibre on this. And it probably never will.
"But Paul, Fibre's not on my street!"
Hold your horses! Don't give up and head for the satellite store just yet. Many Kiwis don't know that if you're close to the network, you might be able to get a community-funded or co-funded build from Chorus. It’s worth a five-minute look. Check out the details here, you might be surprised: https://www.chorus.co.nz/residential/co-funded-fibre-builds
So, What's the Bear-All About?
The big confusion is that people think these new services are replacing Fibre. They're not. They're alternatives for people who can't get it.
Here’s the quick-and-dirty breakdown of your options:
Fibre: The gold standard. Fast, stable, lowest latency. Get it if you can.
Starlink (Low Earth Orbit Satellite): The shiny new cub. Uses thousands of tiny satellites zipping around the planet. It’s a game-changer for rural folks who are stuck on old, slow connections.
Mobile (4G/5G): Uses the same network as your phone. Can be super-fast (especially 5G in the city), but it can get congested at peak times (like the digital version of the Auckland motorway at 5 PM). Often comes with data caps.
Old Satellite (RBI, etc.): The "old guard." These are the big satellites sitting way out in space. They get the job done... slowly. High latency and often-meagre data caps are the norm.
Now, let's look at the main contender everyone's asking about: Starlink.
The 'Sweet Lure' (The Pros)
People are drawn to Starlink like a bear to a picnic basket, and for good reason:
It’s Available Everywhere: This is its superpower. Live up a gravel road, on the side of a mountain, or way out past the black stump? If your dish can see the sky, you can get fast internet. It’s a miracle for the wop-wops.
Serious Speed (For Satellite): Compared to old satellite, it's night and day. You can stream 4K movies, run a business, and have multiple people online without it all turning to custard.
"She'll Be Right" Setup: The marketing makes it look easy. You get a box, you plonk the dish (affectionately named "Dishy") on your roof or lawn, and poof—internet. (It's not always that simple, but it's a tempting idea).
The 'Un-bear-able Truth' (The Cons)
But before you charge your credit card, there are a few snags you might hit:
The Latency (Compared to Fibre): Now, let's be fair dinkum here. For most Kiwis doing Zoom calls, streaming movies, or even most online gaming, Starlink's latency is actually... pretty good! It's lightyears better than the old satellite lag. But, it's not Fibre. Fibre is a physical line. It's almost instant. Starlink has to go to space and back. You might notice a tiny, occasional stutter in a high-stakes competitive game or a split-second pause on a work call that you simply wouldn't get on Fibre. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's not paw-fect.
It HATES Obstructions: That dish needs a massive, clear view of the sky. That lovely old Pōhutukawa in your garden? That's a problem. A nearby hill? Problem. If the dish's view is blocked, your connection will drop out. Constantly.
The Price Tag (Upfront and Monthly): You've got to buy the hardware, and it's not cheap. But it's also the monthly cost. Starlink's standard plan is more expensive than most entry-level Fibre plans. Why pay more for internet with higher latency if you don't have to?
The 'Elon' Factor: Let's be blunt. Starlink is Elon Musk. For many Kiwis, supporting his particular brand of business, given his political leanings and... let's say, divisive public antics, is a bear-sized pill they're not willing to swallow. For some, it's an ethical or personal choice as much as a technical one.
Tales from the Den (Case Studies)
We see this stuff every day. Here are two quick yarns that explain the whole thing perfectly.
The Cautionary Tale: Barry in the 'Burbs Barry lives in a leafy suburb in Hamilton. He's got Fibre running right past his front gate. But he got caught up in the Starlink buzz and thought it sounded more high-tech. He paid for the kit, set it up on his roof, and immediately called us, grumbling. His work VPN was a bit jittery, and his son was complaining about just enough lag to lose his game. Barry had paid a premium (both upfront and monthly) for a service that was objectively worse for his situation than the Fibre he could have had installed for next to nothing.
The Success Story: Sharon's Rural B&B Sharon runs a beautiful B&B accommodation way out in the backblocks of the Coromandel. Her old RBI satellite was a joke—it was barely fast enough to check emails, and her guests were leaving bad reviews about the "non-existent WiFi." Fibre was never, ever going to get to her property. We advised her that Starlink was a paw-fect fit. We helped her find the best spot for the dish (clear of the native bush), and now she's got fast, reliable internet across her whole property. Her bookings are up, and the guests are happy campers.
The Verdict: The I.T. Bear's Decision Tree
Still stuck? Grab a paw-ful of berries and follow this simple path:
Step 1: Go to the Chorus website (or your local fibre provider) and check if you can get Fibre at your address.
Step 2: Can you get Fibre?
YES: Get Fibre. Stop reading this blog. Call your internet provider and sign up. It is the best, cheapest, and most reliable option.
NO: Go to Step 3.
Step 3: Can you get a co-funded or community-funded Fibre build? (Check that link we posted: https://www.chorus.co.nz/residential/co-funded-fibre-builds)
YES: This is still your best option. It might take time and money, but it's a long-term investment in your property.
NO (you're properly rural): Go to Step 4.
Step 4: Do you get perfect, 5-bar 4G or 5G mobile reception?
YES: A 4G/5G mobile broadband plan might be a good choice. It often has better latency than Starlink and can be cheaper. But... watch out for data caps and network congestion at 5 PM when everyone starts streaming!
NO (your mobile reception is rubbish): Go to Step 5.
Step 5: You can't get Fibre, and your mobile reception is awful.
Congratulations! You are the paw-fect customer for Starlink. It was made for you. It will be a night-and-day improvement over old satellite and is the right tool for your den.
And if you're still not sure...
If you've gone through all that and your head is spinning like you've had too much honey, just give us a bell. If you really aren't sure, book a call with The I.T. Bear, and we'll give you the straight, un-bear-nished truth for your specific situation. No mucking around.