Starlink speeds past terrestrial networks – and regulators
(2026/02/12)
- Reference: 1770876209
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/02/12/starlink_challenges/
- Source link:
APRICOT 2026 Starlink can sometimes shift data more quickly than is possible on terrestrial networks, and improves connectivity in remote areas. But the space broadband service also presents new technical and regulatory challenges, according to speakers who took to the stage on Tuesday at the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies (APRICOT) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The first discussion of Starlink at the event came from Karina Stefanovic, a wireless access network optimization engineer with Telekom Srbija, who used a conference session dedicated to network management explains she used the [1]RIPE Atlas internet measurement network to compare data transmission speeds between Europe and Asia using Starlink and connections that started with 4G/5G networks.
Stefanovic found that Starlink carried data more quickly than connections that started on European cellular networks, despite the space broadband service often requiring more network hops and not using Tier 1 networks. She hypothesized that Starlink’s performance can be attributed to the satellite-to-satellite laser connections SpaceX employs, which route traffic across the satellite network so it can reach the most appropriate terrestrial egress point. That laser network, she suggested, should perhaps be considered a new routing layer for the internet.
[2]
In a later conference panel dedicated to the operational, policy, and resilience implications of internet access services delivered from low-Earth orbit, APNIC chief scientist Geoff Huston pointed out that Starlink can’t always land traffic in countries where its service is available. He said the countries surrounding Mongolia – China and Russia – are hostile to Starlink, so the space ISP lands traffic for Mongolian users in Japan then uses terrestrial links to reach the central Asian country.
[3]
[4]
Huston thinks that creates another issue, as Mongolian Starlink users therefore become reliant on Japanese regulators. He also asked conference attendees to consider that commercial aircraft are subject to the laws of whichever nation it touches down in, until its wheels leave the ground and the plane enters the jurisdiction of an airline’s home country. A Starlink user aboard the flight can therefore change jurisdiction during flight. Meanwhile, no nation has jurisdiction in space, where Starlink’s satellites circle.
Huston thinks regulators are aware that Starlink poses unusual legal challenges – and perhaps even a challenge to sovereignty – but that governments are mostly happy to ignore those issues because the service conveniently solves the problem of delivering broadband services to remote areas, an expensive job few nations have nailed.
[5]
Also on the panel, Doctor Ir. Ismail, the secretary general of Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs, confirmed the lure of space broadband for the nation, which spans 17,000 islands.
“The investment case is quite bleak for rural areas,” he said. Starlink offers a tantalizing alternative, and Dr. Ismail said SpaceX engaged sincerely with Indonesia’s government to address concerns about space broadband services allowing locals to circumvent regulations that prohibit online gambling, explicit material, and content felt to promote terrorism.
He said Starlink built a local network operation center and agreed to comply with Indonesian laws.
[6]SpaceX wants to fill Earth orbit with a million datacenter satellites
[7]Venezuela loses president, but gains empty Starlink internet offer
[8]Starlink to lower orbits of thousands of satellites over safety concerns
[9]Starlink claims Chinese launch came within 200 meters of broadband satellite
Job done? Not quite. Karina Stefanovic said her research showed she can see 13 Starlink satellites available from Serbia, population 6.5 million, but just four in Jakarta to serve a city of over 40 million souls.
And Huston pointed out that Starlink reconnect users to a different satellite every 15 seconds, nearly always drops packets during that process, and that IP routing looks for alternative routes when networks don’t offer clean paths. “You need a protocol that can adapt to Starlink,” he suggested. ®
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[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/05/spacex_1m_satellite_datacenter/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/05/starlink_free_service_venezuela/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/02/starlink_lower_orbits/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/15/asia_tech_news_roundup/
[10] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The first discussion of Starlink at the event came from Karina Stefanovic, a wireless access network optimization engineer with Telekom Srbija, who used a conference session dedicated to network management explains she used the [1]RIPE Atlas internet measurement network to compare data transmission speeds between Europe and Asia using Starlink and connections that started with 4G/5G networks.
Stefanovic found that Starlink carried data more quickly than connections that started on European cellular networks, despite the space broadband service often requiring more network hops and not using Tier 1 networks. She hypothesized that Starlink’s performance can be attributed to the satellite-to-satellite laser connections SpaceX employs, which route traffic across the satellite network so it can reach the most appropriate terrestrial egress point. That laser network, she suggested, should perhaps be considered a new routing layer for the internet.
[2]
In a later conference panel dedicated to the operational, policy, and resilience implications of internet access services delivered from low-Earth orbit, APNIC chief scientist Geoff Huston pointed out that Starlink can’t always land traffic in countries where its service is available. He said the countries surrounding Mongolia – China and Russia – are hostile to Starlink, so the space ISP lands traffic for Mongolian users in Japan then uses terrestrial links to reach the central Asian country.
[3]
[4]
Huston thinks that creates another issue, as Mongolian Starlink users therefore become reliant on Japanese regulators. He also asked conference attendees to consider that commercial aircraft are subject to the laws of whichever nation it touches down in, until its wheels leave the ground and the plane enters the jurisdiction of an airline’s home country. A Starlink user aboard the flight can therefore change jurisdiction during flight. Meanwhile, no nation has jurisdiction in space, where Starlink’s satellites circle.
Huston thinks regulators are aware that Starlink poses unusual legal challenges – and perhaps even a challenge to sovereignty – but that governments are mostly happy to ignore those issues because the service conveniently solves the problem of delivering broadband services to remote areas, an expensive job few nations have nailed.
[5]
Also on the panel, Doctor Ir. Ismail, the secretary general of Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs, confirmed the lure of space broadband for the nation, which spans 17,000 islands.
“The investment case is quite bleak for rural areas,” he said. Starlink offers a tantalizing alternative, and Dr. Ismail said SpaceX engaged sincerely with Indonesia’s government to address concerns about space broadband services allowing locals to circumvent regulations that prohibit online gambling, explicit material, and content felt to promote terrorism.
He said Starlink built a local network operation center and agreed to comply with Indonesian laws.
[6]SpaceX wants to fill Earth orbit with a million datacenter satellites
[7]Venezuela loses president, but gains empty Starlink internet offer
[8]Starlink to lower orbits of thousands of satellites over safety concerns
[9]Starlink claims Chinese launch came within 200 meters of broadband satellite
Job done? Not quite. Karina Stefanovic said her research showed she can see 13 Starlink satellites available from Serbia, population 6.5 million, but just four in Jakarta to serve a city of over 40 million souls.
And Huston pointed out that Starlink reconnect users to a different satellite every 15 seconds, nearly always drops packets during that process, and that IP routing looks for alternative routes when networks don’t offer clean paths. “You need a protocol that can adapt to Starlink,” he suggested. ®
Get our [10]Tech Resources
[1] https://atlas.ripe.net/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aY2y0c83fUqKMiMkGKP7HQAAA8w&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
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[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/05/spacex_1m_satellite_datacenter/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/05/starlink_free_service_venezuela/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/02/starlink_lower_orbits/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/15/asia_tech_news_roundup/
[10] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Michael Hoffmann
"remote areas"
_wojtek
I kinda fear that those remote areas with further urban sprawl becase people won't feel limited by access... which is kinda a bit worrying...
Ol'Peculier
I;ve only used Starlink once, in a remote bar on one of the Galapagos islands, and despite the fact I despise Musk and everything he tries to f@$k up, was hugely impressed with the speed.
If I was to move to somewhere remote with no broadband access, I'd need two things. Access to a decent pub and satellite...
Roland6
>” If I was to move to somewhere remote with no broadband access, I'd need two things. Access to a decent pub and satellite...”
I take it, Starlink was the only redeeming feature of that “remote bar”.
Ol'Peculier
The pub on Isabela brewed it's own beer, and also was been visited by a very nice lass from Germany who I very much enjoyed talking to.
Here, I'm looking at somewhere on the Moors. The nearer to Blakey Ridge the better. If you know, you know...
And end to geofencing ?
Anonymous Coward
Is it a bit dim to ask how you will tie end IP addresses to any particular .location ?
Presumably it's "trivial" to route a starlink modem to your network 1,000s of miles away ?
Terje
While they may function well enough and do provide a valuable service, my concern is that these very large leo constellations are just the latest attempt to 100% speedrun Kessler syndrome and a nicely aimed high energy event from the sun will knock out enough of the satellites that a collision becomes inevitable.
Jakarta are still a bit pissed because they spent several billion on a geostationary bird for remote internet access just before starlink became available.