Research from Luke Kehoe, Lead Industry Analyst at Ookla, reveals that low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband is no longer just a niche backup plan—it is actively filling the continent’s toughest connectivity gaps.

Starlink’s role as a low-Earth orbit broadband provider is clearest in those remaining gaps. Across Europe, the service is most visible where fixed networks are delayed, weaker, difficult to extend, or needed as backup. That includes islands, farms, mountain communities, seasonal homes, remote businesses, and rural premises still waiting for planned upgrades.

Key takeaways from the research include:

• Starlink’s median download speed across all 27 countries rose from 114.05 Mbps in Q1 2025 to 165.71 Mbps in Q1 2026, up 45 per cent, while download speed improved in 26 of the 27 markets.
• Usage is most visible where fixed broadband leaves more gaps:
  • Bulgaria had the highest Starlink Speedtest sample share at 8 per cent, followed by Greece and Croatia at 6 per cent each, Ireland and Latvia at 4 per cent each.
• Starlink was faster than the average fixed network on median download speed in 11 of 27 markets, but fixed networks had lower latency in every market and stronger upload performance in 26.
• Satellite broadband is becoming a broader European category:
  • While Starlink is the most visible direct-to-consumer low Earth orbit (LEO) provider, Eutelsat OneWeb, Amazon Leo, and Europe’s IRIS² programme point to a wider satellite connectivity market starting to emerge.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Research, Satellite

Tags: eutelsat, Ookla, starlink