SSRN Id4530394
SSRN Id4530394
SSRN Id4530394
PUBLIC PERCEPTION
OF THE STARLINK SATELLITE PROJECT
IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY
Yarnaphat Shaengchart *, Tanpat Kraiwanit **
* Faculty of Economics, Rangsit University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
** Corresponding author, Faculty of Economics, Rangsit University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Contact details: Faculty of Economics, Rangsit University, 52/347 Phahon Yothin Road, Muang Eke, Pathum Thani 12000, Thailand
Abstract
How to cite this paper: Shaengchart, Y., & Starlink is a long-term project to address disparities in rural
Kraiwanit, T. (2023). Public perception of broadband Internet access that is led by SpaceX and Elon Musk.
the Starlink Satellite project in a developing
country. Corporate & Business Strategy The project’s goal is to launch thousands of smallsat-class
Review, 4(3), 66–73. satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) as part of a mega-
https://doi.org/10.22495/cbsrv4i3art7 constellation to provide continuous, high-speed Internet around
Copyright © 2023 The Authors
the world. SpaceX believes that its technology can outperform
the competition by using shallow orbits. When compared to
This work is licensed under a Creative traditional geosynchronous satellite Internet infrastructure,
Commons Attribution 4.0 International Starlink promises lower latency and higher-quality connections
License (CC BY 4.0).
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ to its customers (Walker & Elliott, 2021). This study aims to
4.0/ investigate the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
in Thailand. A quantitative approach was used and an online
ISSN Online: 2708-4965
ISSN Print: 2708-9924
questionnaire was conducted to collect data from a convenience
sample of 1,258 participants in Thailand. Binary regression
Received: 28.02.2023 analysis was performed to analyse the data. The findings
Accepted: 01.08.2023
revealed that the public perception of the Starlink Satellite
JEL Classification: A10, O21, O33 project in Thailand could be described by gender, age,
DOI: 10.22495/cbsrv4i3art7 computer, laptop, tablet, wearable device, Internet duration,
mobile Internet, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Consequently,
Starlink should devise an effective strategy to entice users to
increase their awareness and use satellite Internet in countries
where fibre Internet is more affordable and convenient.
66
electricity, so imagining the Internet in those places constellations could transform the connectivity
appears to be impossible. This is where satellite- landscape (Garrity & Husar, 2021). Starlink is a new
based Internet comes into play. With the help of satellite Internet service that was developed by
satellite-based Internet technology, the Internet can SpaceX, which is owned by Elon Musk. Starlink
be reached in every corner of the world, anywhere Internet works by beaming data signals between
and at any time. Satellite Internet works by thousands of LEO satellites overhead and ground-
transmitting a fibre Internet signal from the system based gateway stations (Cooper, 2023; Yasar, 2023).
server to a satellite in orbit. The Internet signal is Starlink Internet broadband is one of the most
then received via a satellite dish. The dish is linked sophisticated broadband Internet systems in
to a modem, which connects all of the devices to the world and operates by transferring information
the Internet. Most people are currently served by two through the vacuum of space, where it travels much
reputable satellite Internet providers, ViaSat and faster than fibre optic cables and can reach far more
HughesNet. However, Starlink has entered people and places in far less time. Although most
the market, offering high-speed satellite Internet satellite Internet services today work on single
services and it plans to launch its services all over geostationary satellites that orbit around the Earth
the world in the near future (Parthasarathy, 2022; at about 35,000 km, Starlink is a constellation of
Yadav et al., 2022). Starlink is the name of a satellite multiple satellites in LEO. Because Starlink satellites
network that was developed by SpaceX to provide are in low orbit, the round-trip data time between
low-cost Internet access to remote locations. the user and the satellites (which is also known as
In January 2015, SpaceX announced its satellite latency) is much lower when compared to
Internet proposal. Although it had no name at geostationary satellites. In most parts of the world,
the time, Elon Musk, the owner, stated that users can expect download speeds ranging from
the company had filed paperwork with international 100 Mb/s to 200 Mb/s and latency as low as 20 ms.
regulators to place approximately 4,000 satellites in This enables Starlink to provide excellent services,
low Earth orbit (LEO) (Pultarova & Howell, 2022). such as online gaming, which are typically
Several studies on the Starlink Satellite project unavailable on other satellite broadband systems
were conducted. For instance, McDowell (2020) (Yadav et al., 2022).
studied the LEO satellite population and the impacts Starlink is already the third-largest satellite
of the SpaceX Starlink constellation. Mróz et al. Internet provider in the United States. Moreover, if
(2022) explored the impacts of SpaceX Starlink you live in the United States, you are most likely to
satellites on the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) be eligible for the Starlink satellite service. Starlink
survey observations. Few studies investigated already has over 1 million active customers in
the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project, 54 countries. The Starlink coverage map above
especially in Thailand. Hence, this study aims to depicts Starlink’s ever-expanding Internet coverage
investigate the public perception of the Starlink footprint. Currently, 3,425 LEO Starlink satellites
Satellite project in Thailand. To collect data from orbit the Earth, providing Internet access to a wide
a convenience sample of 1,258 Thai participants, range of locations. Starlink currently serves
a quantitative approach was used and an online 36 countries in areas with limited coverage.
questionnaire was administered. The data were In the United States, the company plans to extend
analysed using binary regression. The findings coverage to the rest of the continent by the end of
revealed that gender, age, computer, laptop, tablet, 2023. Starlink achieved its fastest median download
wearable device, Internet duration, mobile Internet, speed of 160 Mbps in Lithuania in the first quarter
Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube could all be used to of 2022. Starlink has also achieved speeds of
describe the public perception of the Starlink 91 Mbps in the US, 97 Mbps in Canada, and
Satellite project in Thailand. As a result, Starlink 124 Mbps in Australia. Starlink in Mexico was
should develop an effective strategy to encourage the fastest satellite Internet provider in North
users to become more aware of satellite Internet and America, with a median download speed of
use it in countries where fibre Internet is more 105.91 Mbps (Cooper, 2023; Yasar, 2023).
affordable and convenient. The Starlink satellite project has the potential
The article is divided into six major sections. to bring high-speed internet access to remote and
Section 1 is an introduction to the study. underserved areas in developing countries, which
The theoretical context for the study is provided in could have a significant impact on economic
Section 2. Section 3 presents the research development and social welfare. However, concerns
methodology, and the results are presented in have been raised about the potential negative impact
Section 4. Section 5 presents the study’s discussion. on local Internet service providers and the risk of
In the final Section 6, conclusions, limitations, and creating a digital divide between those who can
recommendations are presented. afford the service and those who cannot
(Frąckiewicz, 2023a; Shaengchart & Kraiwanit, 2023;
2. LITERATURE REVIEW Shaengchart, Kraiwanit, & Butcharoen, 2023).
Additionally, the potential impact of the Starlink
Satellite communication is critical to the global project on education has been discussed.
connectivity ecosystem. It connects rural and remote The availability of high-speed Internet could provide
populations, provides backhaul connectivity to students in remote areas with access to educational
mobile cellular networks, and enables emergency resources and online learning opportunities.
and disaster response communications. Because of However, concerns have been raised about
their global coverage and suitability for areas not the potential for students to become overly reliant
served by fibre optic cable networks, LEO on technology and the need for proper training and
67
68
Standard
Variables B Wald-test df Sig. Exp(B)
error
Gender -0.594 0.121 24.205 1 0.000 0.552
Age 0.193 0.048 16.027 1 0.000 1.213
Education 0.302 0.114 7.048 1 0.008 1.353
Step 1a
Status -0.074 0.139 0.283 1 0.595 0.929
Income 0.080 0.074 1.154 1 0.283 1.083
Constant -0.228 0.308 0.551 1 0.458 0.796
Note: a. Variables entered in Step 1: gender, age, education, status, income.
The predictive regression equation of Model 1 As shown in Table 7, the classification indicates
using the coefficients from Table 4 can be described that the model with all of the independent variables
by the following equation: was able to predict the public perception of
the Starlink Satellite project in Thailand with
Model 1 an accuracy rate of 72.8% of cases when there was
a cut-off value of 0.500 or 50%.
(1)
Table 7. Classification table for back-testing
(including user behaviour variables)
where,
P is the public perception of the Starlink Predicted
Satellite project in Thailand, Perception of
Observed Percentage
Starlink
Z = -0.228 - 0.594(Gender) + 0.193(Age) + No Yes
correct
+ 0.302(Education). Step 1
Perception No 491 150 76.6%
of Starlink Yes 192 425 68.9%
4.2. User behaviour variables of public perception of Overall
72.8%
percentage
the Starlink Satellite project Note: The cut-off value is 0.500.
Table 5 shows that the chi-square is 291.800, with df The significance level of each independent
equal to 9. Thus, a dependent variable can be variable is presented in Table 8. This shows that
explained by all independent variables at the dependent variable (the public perception of
the significance level of 0.05. the Starlink Satellite project in Thailand) could be
described by computer, laptop, tablet, wearable
Table 5. Omnibus test of the model’s performance device, Internet duration, and mobile Internet.
using user behaviour variables Conversely, smartphone, Internet time, and home
Internet were not significant. When there was
Chi- Degrees of an increase of one unit in a computer, the public
Sig.
square freedom (df)
Step 291.800 9 0.000
perception of the Starlink Satellite project increased
Step 1 Block 291.800 9 0.000 by 2.260. When there was an increase of one unit in
Model 291.800 9 0.000 a laptop, the public perception of the Starlink
Satellite project increased by 2.216. Moreover, when
As shown in Table 6, the model explained there was an increase of one unit in a tablet,
approximately 27.6% of the variation in the result the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
with a significance value of 0.05. decreased from 1 to 0.691 (1 - 0.691 = 0.309). When
there was an increase of one unit in a wearable
Table 6. Model summary using user behaviour device, the public perception of the Starlink Satellite
variables project increased by 4.600. Meanwhile, when there
was an increase of one unit in Internet duration,
-2 log Cox & Snell Nagelkerke the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
Step
likelihood R square R square decreased from 1 to 0.833 (1 - 0.833 = 0.167). When
1 1451.700a 0.207 0.276 there was an increase of one unit in mobile Internet,
Note: a. Estimation terminated at iteration number 3 because
parameter estimates changed by less than 0.001.
the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
decreased from 1 to 0.665 (1 - 0.665 = 0.335).
Standard
Variables B Wald-test df Sig. Exp(B)
error
Computer 0.815 0.135 36.610 1 0.000 2.260
Laptop 0.796 0.181 19.241 1 0.000 2.216
Smartphone -0.195 0.442 0.195 1 0.659 0.823
Tablet -0.370 0.171 4.682 1 0.030 0.691
Wearable device 1.526 0.155 97.290 1 0.000 4.600
Step 1a
Time 0.078 0.062 1.594 1 0.207 1.081
Duration -0.182 0.086 4.452 1 0.035 0.833
Home Internet 0.061 0.080 0.576 1 0.448 1.062
Mobile Internet -0.408 0.077 27.704 1 0.000 0.665
Constant -0.228 0.579 0.155 1 0.694 0.796
Note: a. Variables entered in Step 1: computer, laptop, smartphone, wearable device, time, duration, home Internet, mobile Internet.
69
The predictive regression equation of Model 2 Table 10. Model summary using social media
using the coefficients from Table 8 can be described variables
by the following equation:
-2 log Cox & Snell Nagelkerke
Step
Model 2 likelihood R square R square
1 1521.722 a
0.130 0.173
Note: a. Estimation terminated at iteration number 3 because
(2) parameter estimates changed by less than 0.001.
Standard
Variables B Wald-test df Sig. Exp(B)
error
Facebook 0.354 0.263 1.815 1 0.178 1.425
Instagram 2.478 0.348 50.819 1 0.000 11.912
Twitter -0.136 0.160 0.721 1 0.396 0.873
Step 1a
TikTok -1.246 0.183 46.542 1 0.000 0.288
YouTube -3.025 0.400 57.140 1 0.000 0.049
Constant 0.105 0.286 0.134 1 0.715 1.110
Note: a. Variables entered in Step 1: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube.
The predictive regression equation of Model 3 4.4. All of the significant variables of public
using the coefficients from Table 12 can be perception of the Starlink Satellite project
described by the following equation:
Table 13 shows that the chi-square is 407.391, with
Model 3 df equal to 13. Thus, a dependent variable can be
explained by all of the independent variables at a
(3) significance level of 0.05.
70
As shown in Table 14, the model explained described by gender, age, computer, laptop, tablet,
approximately 37.9% of the variation in the result wearable device, Internet duration, mobile Internet,
with a significance value of 0.05. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Conversely,
education was not significant. The public perception
Table 14. Model summary using all of the significant of the Starlink Satellite project was significant when
variables there was a change in gender to male. This reduced
the possibility of public perception of the Starlink
Step
-2 log Cox & Snell Nagelkerke Satellite project from 1 to 0.636 (1 - 0.636 = 0.364).
likelihood R square R square When there was an increase of one unit in age,
1 1283.836a 0.284 0.379
the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
Note: a. Estimation terminated at iteration number 3 because
parameter estimates changed by less than 0.001. increased by 1.136. Furthermore, when there was
an increase of one unit in a computer, the public
As shown in Table 15, the classification perception of the Starlink Satellite project increased
indicates that the model with all of the independent by 2.493. When there was an increase of one unit in
variables was able to predict the public perception a laptop, the public perception of the Starlink
of the Starlink Satellite project in Thailand with Satellite project increased by 1.630. Moreover, when
an accuracy rate of 74.2% of cases when there was there was an increase of one unit in a tablet,
a cut-off value of 0.500 or 50%. the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
decreased from 1 to 0.607 (1 - 0.607 = 0.393). When
Table 15. Classification table for back-testing there was an increase of one unit in a wearable
(including all of the significant variables) device, the public perception of the Starlink Satellite
project increased by 2.705. When there was
Predicted an increase of one unit in Internet duration, the
Perception of public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
Observed Percentage
Starlink
correct decreased from 1 to 0.645 (1 - 0.645 = 0.355). When
No Yes there was an increase of one unit in mobile Internet,
Step 1
Perception No 461 145 76.1% the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
of Starlink Yes 170 444 72.3%
Overall
decreased from 1 to 0.697 (1 - 0.697 = 0.303).
74.2% In addition, when using Instagram, the public
percentage
Note: The cut-off value is 0.500. perception of the Starlink Satellite project increased
by 11.538. When using TikTok, the public perception
The significance level of each independent of the Starlink Satellite project decreased from 1 to
variable is presented in Table 16. This shows that 0.470 (1 - 0.470 = 0.530). When using YouTube,
the dependent variable (the public perception of the public perception of the Starlink Satellite project
the Starlink Satellite project in Thailand) could be decreased from 1 to 0.082 (1 - 0.082 = 0.918).
Table 16. Variables in the model using all of the significant variables
Standard
Variables B Wald-test df Sig. Exp(B)
error
Gender -0.452 0.150 9.083 1 0.003 0.636
Age 0.128 0.056 5.256 1 0.022 1.136
Education 0.193 0.147 1.732 1 0.188 1.213
Computer 0.914 0.147 38.503 1 0.000 2.493
Laptop 0.488 0.195 6.251 1 0.012 1.630
Tablet -0.500 0.193 6.717 1 0.010 0.607
Step 1a Wearable device 0.995 0.168 35.199 1 0.000 2.705
Internet duration -0.438 0.109 16.013 1 0.000 0.645
Mobile Internet -0.360 0.081 20.030 1 0.000 0.697
Instagram 2.446 0.379 41.534 1 0.000 11.538
TikTok -0.755 0.213 12.602 1 0.000 0.470
YouTube -2.504 0.380 43.379 1 0.000 0.082
Constant 1.126 0.622 3.277 1 0.070 3.083
Note: a. Variables entered in Step 1: gender, age, education, computer, laptop, tablet, wearable device, duration, mobile Internet,
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube.
71
structuring agents in networks of tens of thousands sending a fibre Internet signal from the system
of tweets and retweets, and millions of views, server to an orbiting satellite. A satellite dish is then
related to specific COVID-19 keywords. In terms of used to receive the Internet signal. The dish is
public exposure to (and thus interaction with) connected to a modem, which connects all devices to
critical elements of public health information in the Internet. ViaSat and HughesNet, two reputable
the pandemic, these few individual accounts and satellite Internet providers, currently serve
the content of their tweets, mentions, and retweets the majority of people. Starlink, on the other hand,
are significantly overrepresented. Furthermore, has entered the market, offering high-speed satellite
Walker and Elliott (2021) concluded that societal Internet services, and it plans to launch its services
factors have influenced the emerging Starlink globally in the near future. There are still limitations
constellation. Under the Social Construction of that may have an impact on the public perception of
Technology framework, the conflict between the Starlink Satellite project. Therefore, Starlink
the relevant social groups who are involved with should devise an effective strategy to entice users to
Starlink and their ongoing discourse allows for increase their awareness and use satellite Internet in
direct observation of the closure process. This countries where fibre Internet is more affordable
analysis of Starlink combined with the technical and convenient. This study has focused on
project provides important insights into the factors that have influenced public perception of
the challenges that spacefaring vessels will face in the Starlink Satellite project in Thailand. Hence, we
the twenty-first century and beyond. The Spacecraft recommend that the sampling should be expanded
Design Capstone team hopes to complete a detailed to other countries. It is also recommended that
framework for a CubeSat constellation that can meet
future research should investigate other factors,
the needs of as many stakeholders as possible, while
such as the unified theory of acceptance and use of
taking into account the potential impact of this
technology (UTAUT), which may lead to a better
constellation on the night sky.
understanding. Furthermore, this study is based on
a self-administered questionnaire. Consequently,
6. CONCLUSION qualitative studies, such as interviews or focus
group discussions, could provide insight for future
The Internet can now be accessed from anywhere in research.
the world, at any time, thanks to satellite-based
Internet technology. Satellite Internet works by
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