What is SpaceX’s satellite internet Starlink, can it be used during typhoons, and when will Starlink be opened in Taiwan?

Starlink is a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite internet service under SpaceX. It replaces traditional ground lines or a single geostationary satellite with thousands of satellites. As of February 2026, the number of global users has already exceeded 10 million.
(Background: Starlink’s Starlink in Taiwan is stuck on “100% wholly owned”! Legislative Yuan debates on loosening LEO satellites, worried that Musk’s pro-China move could become a national security loophole)
(Additional background: SpaceX AI phone prototype revealed—plans to build a ground mobile network and compete with telecom carriers)

Table of contents

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• What is the Starlink constellation? SpaceX’s LEO satellite network
• How does Starlink work? The connection principle from the antenna to the satellites
• Starlink pricing and monthly plan summary (overseas pricing)
• Starlink speed and latency: how fast can it really run?
• What limitations and drawbacks does Starlink have?
• Can Taiwan use Starlink? Why hasn’t it been opened yet
• Can you use Starlink during typhoon days? Will heavy rain and strong winds cause the connection to drop?
• Starlink FAQ
  • Do I need to run network cables?
  • Can it be used when traveling abroad or going camping?
  • Can a phone connect directly to a Starlink satellite?
  • Is installation difficult?
  • Is it worth waiting for Taiwan to launch?

In recent years, discussion about LEO satellite internet has been growing ever more popular—especially SpaceX’s Starlink constellation service, which has almost become synonymous with “internet for remote areas, at sea, and as disaster backup.” In this article, the author will answer in order: what Starlink is, how it works, how much it costs, how fast it is, what limitations it has, why it hasn’t been opened in Taiwan yet, and whether it can hold up during typhoon days—plus several practical questions readers ask most often.

What is the Starlink constellation? SpaceX’s low-Earth-orbit satellite network

Starlink is a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite network service built by SpaceX. It uses thousands of satellites to replace traditional single geostationary satellites or ground lines, allowing signals to travel back and forth over a shorter distance, thereby lowering latency and expanding coverage.

Most traditional satellite internet uses “geostationary orbit (GEO)” satellites. These satellites are fixed above Earth at about 35,786 kilometers. Because the signal must travel this far in both directions, latency easily reaches 600 milliseconds or more. Gaming and video calls will be visibly laggy. Starlink takes a completely different route: satellites are deployed in “LEO,” at an altitude of roughly between 340 and 570 kilometers, with about 550 kilometers typically used as a representative value. With the distance shortened by tens of times, the round-trip signal time is naturally dramatically reduced.

The trade-off is that each LEO satellite covers a very small area, so “quantity” is needed to compensate for the coverage lost due to height. As of June 2026, the number of Starlink satellites on orbit has already reached about 10,400. Of those, about 10,397 are still operational—currently the largest satellite constellation in the world. Combined with ground receiving stations and the user’s dish antenna, Starlink currently covers more than 150 countries and regions. As of February 2026, the number of active global users officially surpassed 10 million.

In simple terms: Starlink uses a “satellite-fleet” strategy to solve the problem that traditional satellite internet has too-high latency. The price is that it must continuously launch and maintain thousands of satellites, and its scale and funding requirements are far higher than those of traditional satellite operators.

How does Starlink work? The connection principle from the antenna to the satellites

One-sentence answer: the user terminal uses a dish antenna with “phased array” technology and no mechanical moving parts to track satellites in the sky. The satellite then sends the signal back to a ground station, which finally connects to the internet backbone.

The “Starlink small dish” people commonly refer to has the formal name phased array antenna. Unlike a traditional dish that points at a fixed direction toward a geostationary satellite, it electronically adjusts the beam direction in real time to continuously lock onto a group of fast-moving LEO satellites overhead. Because LEO satellites move quickly and pass overhead for a short time, the antenna has to keep “switching targets”—connecting to the next satellite before one moves out of view.

This is also why the most important condition for installing Starlink is “clear view of the sky, with no obstructions”: the antenna needs to see a wide portion of the sky. If trees, eaves, or neighboring buildings block the line of sight, it may cause signal interruptions or speed drops. After the signal is sent from the antenna to the satellite, the satellite sends the data to the ground station, which then connects to the usual internet backbone network. Some paths can also relay through other satellites—plain language: satellites help forward data for one another—reducing reliance on ground-station density.

Users do not feel the process directly. The experience is essentially the same as getting normal broadband, with the only difference being that the “last mile” uses satellite signals instead of fiber or a telephone line.

Starlink pricing and monthly plan summary (overseas pricing)

Starlink follows a model of a one-time hardware payment plus a monthly subscription. Overseas pricing depends on the plan, ranging from about 50 to 200 US dollars per month, while the hardware costs 249 to 349 US dollars. Since it has not been officially launched in Taiwan, there is no Taiwan pricing.

| Hardware plan | | --- | Cost (USD, overseas pricing) | | --- | | Standard Kit | One-time about 349 USD; residential plans can also choose a monthly add-on of about 10 USD | | Starlink Mini | About 249 USD (original price 499 USD, reduced) |

| Residential plan | | --- | Speed | Monthly fee (USD) | | --- | --- | --- | | 100 Mbps plan | About 100 Mbps | About 50 USD | | 200 Mbps plan | About 200 Mbps | About 80 USD | | Max plan (unlimited data) | Peak about 300 Mbps | About 120 USD |

| Mobile Roam plan | | --- | Description | Monthly fee (USD) | | --- | --- | | Roam Regional | Covers specific areas; can be taken with you | About 150 USD | | Roam Global | Covers worldwide | About 200 USD | | Mini with Roam | Includes about 100GB of data | About 55 USD and up | | Add a second dish to an existing residential account | Add on top of the original plan | About +30 USD |

A special reminder: everything above is overseas pricing; actual costs will vary depending on the country/region and exchange rates. Taiwan cannot apply for Starlink at present, so there is no official Taiwan pricing published.

Starlink speed and latency: how fast can it really run?

According to official specifications, downloads are about 45 to 280 Mbps, uploads about 10 to 30 Mbps, and latency falls between 25 and 60 milliseconds. This is more than 10 times faster than traditional geostationary satellites.

At the end of 2025, Starlink officially announced that the global download speed median had already exceeded 200 Mbps. This means most users’ real-world experience is noticeably better than the lower bound of the official specs. Upload speeds are generally lower than download, which is similar to most home broadband plans. However, for use cases involving “heavy uploading,” such as live streaming and cloud backups, you should still pay attention.

Latency is Starlink’s true advantage over traditional satellite internet. With 25 to 60 milliseconds of latency, it approaches the level of some wired broadband and is far lower than the often 600 milliseconds or more of traditional geostationary satellites. Low latency means it can be used for online games with real-time requirements, video meetings, and VoIP calls—something that was almost impossible with past satellite networks because traditional satellite latency was too high, causing audio and video to often get out of sync, with lag like “you say a line, I answer a line.”

What limitations and drawbacks does Starlink have?

Of course, Starlink is not a cure-all solution. Common limitations include the need for an installation area with an unobstructed view, higher upfront hardware costs, potential congestion and speed reductions during peak hours, significant power consumption, and problems with upload speeds being low and signal stability under harsh weather.

| Limitation item | | --- | Description | | --- | --- | | Need an unobstructed view of the sky | Trees or buildings blocking the line of sight can cause speed drops or brief disconnects | | Higher upfront hardware cost | Compared with directly applying for landline or fiber, the one-time cost is higher | | Peak congestion | In high-density user areas or during peak hours, speeds may drop | | Power consumption is not small | Standard dish power draw is about 50 to 75 watts. If there is a power outage, you cannot get online—you need to prepare your own power to get through outages | | Upload speeds are lower | Clearly lower than download speed; be mindful for heavy-upload scenarios | | Rain fade | Heavy rain can affect signal stability—see the typhoon section below for details |

These limitations do not mean Starlink is not usable; they are simply a reminder to readers: it solves pain points like “wired broadband isn’t available” or “traditional satellite latency is too high,” not to replace city users who already have stable fiber.

Can Taiwan use Starlink? Why hasn’t it been opened yet

One-sentence answer: not currently. Starlink has not opened commercial services in Taiwan, and Taiwan is not included in the list of regions open on its official website. The core sticking point is the foreign investment shareholding restrictions in Taiwan’s telecom regulations, and there has been no agreement with Starlink’s insistence on operating with full independent ownership.

The key issue is Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act, which limits foreign investment shareholding: foreign investors’ “direct shareholding” cannot exceed 49%; when directly and indirectly combined, it cannot exceed 60%; and the chairperson must hold the nationality of the Republic of China. When Starlink was discussing with the NCC in 2021, it insisted on operating in Taiwan with 100% wholly owned management. That directly conflicts with the existing regulations, so negotiations ultimately broke down.

Minister of Digital Development Lin Yi-Jing said that at the time Starlink required 100% wholly owned investment, which conflicts with Taiwan’s regulations. Even though there was continued communication afterward, Starlink apparently believed that because Taiwan has a small land area and high population density, and because 4G/5G coverage has already exceeded 99%, the market priority is not high. In April 2026, the NCC stated that the existing regulations could in fact be operated under; if the contents of the Taiwan-U.S. trade agreement are compatible, exemptions could theoretically be granted. But as of now, no related approvals or exemptions have officially taken place.

Compared with other countries, places like Malaysia and South Africa—countries that originally had similar foreign investment restrictions—had previously changed policies to allow Starlink into their markets. Taiwan has not taken that step yet. Instead of waiting indefinitely, Taiwan’s three major telecom operators have already, in practice, aligned themselves with different LEO satellite camps:

| Telecom operator | | --- | Partner | Positioning | Timeline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Chunghwa Telecom | Eutelsat OneWeb | Fixed broadband / enterprise and government network backup; requires dedicated ground receiving antennas, mainly B2B | Already operating in Taiwan | | Far EasTone Telecom | Amazon Leo (formerly Kuiper) | Broadband / enterprise use; Far EasTone holds the required 28GHz band | Obtained authorization to act as a distributor on May 19, 2026; fastest expected launch in 2027 | | Taiwan Mobile | AST SpaceMobile | Phone direct-to-satellite (Direct-to-Cell); consumer-side market; supports general 4G/5G phones for D2C | An MOU was signed at MWC 2026; fastest expected commercial launch in the second half of 2027 |

Can you use Starlink during typhoon days? Will heavy rain and strong winds cause the connection to drop

A typhoon has recently been hitting, and reports have emerged from multiple areas about unstable internet. So does Starlink have an answer? The answer depends on the intensity of the rain and the strength of the winds. Light rain is almost unnoticeable, but a truly strong typhoon usually reduces Starlink’s availability.

In principle, heavy rain scatters and absorbs the microwave signals between the dish and the satellites. In satellite communications, this is called “rain fade.” The heavier and denser the rain, the more the signal weakening becomes evident.

| Weather scenario | | --- | Impact on Starlink | | --- | --- | | Light rain / drizzle | Almost no impact; browsing and streaming are usually unaffected | | Moderate rain | May cause slight speed drops | | Heavy rain / tropical downpours | Clear speed drops; occasionally a short disconnection lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes. After the strongest rain band passes, it usually recovers quickly | | Typhoon | Strong winds often exceed the dish’s wind-resistance design value of about 60 mph (about 96 km/h), and typhoons also commonly bring the risk of power outages—overall availability will be reduced |

On the other hand, typhoons also frequently come with the risk of power outages. Starlink needs electricity to operate; without power, it is essentially no internet. This is the same situation as ordinary home broadband. Overall, Starlink is more weather-resistant than traditional geostationary satellites, but it is not completely unaffected by weather.

Starlink FAQ

Do I need to run network cables?

No need to pull physical network lines to your home. You only need to install the dish antenna in a sky-facing, unobstructed location, then connect it to the router using cables. This differs from the traditional model where you must apply to a telecom provider to run lines to your premises.

Can it be used when traveling abroad or going camping?

Yes. This is exactly the purpose of the Roam mobile plan. It comes in two types: Regional plans that cover specific areas and Global plans that cover worldwide. You can also pair it with the smaller Mini antenna to bring to camping sites, the car, or the boat. However, you still need to consider sky obstructions and power supply issues.

Can a phone connect directly to a Starlink satellite?

For typical home dish setups, it is not designed for a phone to connect directly to the satellites. Instead, once the antenna receives the signal, it shares it to devices such as phones and computers via the router. If you mean the technology route where a phone can connect without a dish—“Direct-to-Cell”—then what Taiwan has seen so far is that Taiwan Mobile and AST SpaceMobile have signed a cooperation memorandum targeting exactly this consumer-side direct-to-satellite phone service. The expected fastest commercial launch is in the second half of 2027. Whether Starlink itself can be applied for in Taiwan is a different path.

Is installation difficult?

The hardware design itself is not complicated, and the dish usually supports self-installation. The real focus is “choosing the location”: you must ensure that there is no blockage in the sky area the antenna points toward—no trees, eaves, or tall buildings. Otherwise, even the simplest installation steps cannot rescue signal quality. In addition, you also need to plan the power supply and cable routing.

Is it worth waiting for Taiwan to launch?

It depends on how urgent your needs are. If you already live in areas with good signal coverage from Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone, and Taiwan Mobile, then at this stage 4G/5G and fixed-line services can meet most needs. Taiwan’s telecom operators have also each planned LEO satellite-related services with Eutelsat OneWeb, Amazon Leo, and AST SpaceMobile, so you don’t necessarily have to wait for Starlink alone; but if your location is a remote area that traditional telecom coverage cannot reach or you plan to use it for maritime scenarios, then you indeed have to keep an eye on Starlink or the progress of the alternative plans mentioned above. Ultimately, whether you should use it and which plan to wait for comes down to your personal use scenario.