According to news on December 13, IT security company Cloudflare statistics show that although Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink satellite network has encountered multiple major controversies, its usage has soared this year. Starlink network provides high-speed network access services through low-orbit satellites. Data shows that Starlink satellite Internet services have expanded to many new countries, and its global Internet traffic has nearly tripled in 2023.
Cloudflare said that traffic on the U.S. Starlink network has increased 2.5 times this year. After Starlink entered the Brazilian market last year, traffic increased nearly 17 times within a year. SpaceX previously stated that the Starlink network has more than 2 million active customers and currently covers more than 50 countries and regions, including Kenya, the Philippines, and Zambia, which will be connected in 2023.
Cloudflare said Starlink's traffic is growing much faster than the overall growth of global Internet traffic, which is up 25%. David Belson, the company's head of data insights, said: "Starlink will continue to provide services in more and more places, which will only bring more and more traffic to their network."
Cloudflare noted that Starlink remains the market leader in satellite internet. While it's not the first to offer such a service, it has found success in "areas that are unserved or underserved by traditional wired or wireless broadband."
The surge in internet traffic points to Starlink's greater dominance in satellite communications.
Competitors include Amazon's Project Kuiper and OneWeb, which are trying to compete, but are still a long way from challenging Starlink, as SpaceX already has about 5,000 satellites in orbit.
Amazon announced earlier this month that SpaceX will put several Project Kuiper satellites into orbit in 2025. This suggests that even satellite providers seeking to challenge Starlink are somewhat dependent on SpaceX’s rocket launch services.
The rapid growth of the Starlink network is expected to add another business with potential billions of dollars in revenue for Musk. According to reports, Starlink will conduct an initial public offering (IPO) as soon as next year.
However, the use of satellite networks in remote and contested areas has also generated considerable controversy.
Musk activated the Starlink network last year after Russia's conflict with Ukraine disrupted internet services in the latter country. Musk also drew opposition from the Israeli government when he offered to provide internet services to aid groups operating in the Gaza Strip after Israeli forces cut off internet access in the besieged Gaza Strip.
At the time, Israel said Starlink would be used for "terrorist activities," although the Israeli government later reached an agreement with Musk for the use of Starlink in Gaza. (little)