Are more Dartmoor residents turning to Starlink for broadband?

Reliable broadband remains a long-running issue for many people living on Dartmoor, and some residents say they are now turning to satellite-based alternatives such as Starlink in a bid to stay connected.

Poor connectivity was recently highlighted as the number one concern for parish councils surveyed by Dartmoor National Park Authority.

The issue was raised again this week when the Authority's Chief Executive, Kevin Bishop, told an audit and governance committee that Dartmoor may be “at the back of the queue” for broadband upgrades under a government-backed scheme.

Dartmoor is currently covered by a Type C contract under Project Gigabit, the UK Government’s flagship programme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-reach communities.

Mr Bishop’s comments have drawn attention to continuing concerns from some residents about the challenges of accessing reliable broadband in more remote areas.

On The Moorlander’s social media page, one user wrote: “Starlink is the only real option.”

Another added: “Starlink is the way definitely, when we looked at options none of the main big companies could offer anything due to the old copper cabling.”

What is Starlink and how does it work?

Starlink is a satellite internet system developed by SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk. 

It offers internet access through a constellation of thousands of small satellites orbiting close to Earth in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Unlike traditional satellite internet services that rely on a few satellites in higher orbits, Starlink’s network operates much closer to the ground, approximately 340 to 1,200 kilometres (210 to 750 miles) above Earth. 

This proximity helps reduce signal delays (latency) and provides faster internet speeds.

Users receive the service via a small satellite dish installed at their property, which communicates directly with the overhead satellites. 

The satellites then connect to ground stations linked to the wider internet. 

This setup allows Starlink to deliver broadband to areas where fibre optic cables or traditional infrastructure are limited or unavailable.

SpaceX began launching Starlink satellites in 2019. 

As of September 2024, the network consists of more than 7,000 small satellites providing coverage to around 130 countries and territories.

According to Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, Starlink’s satellite broadband service had reached 87,000 UK connections in 2024, more than double the 42,000 connections recorded in the previous year.

Who's responsible for broadband rollout?

Openreach, which builds and maintains the UK’s largest broadband network, provides the physical infrastructure that supports broadband services from major providers like Sky, TalkTalk, BT and Zen.

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “Our engineers are building a full fibre network across Devon, which includes urban and rural areas. Already, we've reached more than 360,000 homes and businesses — nearly 60% of the county. And it's proving popular. We're making good progress, but we know there's more to come. We're constantly reviewing our build plans, working closely with local authorities and UK government, with the overall aim of reaching as many properties in places like Dartmoor. Local residents can check openreach.com to find out the latest availability for their address and to be kept up-to-date when our plans change.”

Despite this, data from Ofcom shows that only 58 per cent of residences in the West Devon local authority area currently have access to full-fibre broadband. However, superfast broadband (with speeds of at least 30Mbit/s) is available to more than 84 per cent. 

The Moorlander also contacted East Cornwall-based provider Wildanet for comment, but was told the company “doesn’t have any comment to add at this stage.”

With ongoing concerns about connectivity, some Dartmoor residents appear to be exploring satellite broadband as an alternative while fibre rollout remains limited in certain areas.