Make sure the offer is full fibre
FTTP brings fibre into the premises. FTTC runs fibre to a street cabinet and uses copper for the final stretch. They can produce very different results at a rural property. Check the connection type and the speed estimate for your address instead of relying on the word “fibre” in a package name.
Compare the plan you would buy
Look at upload as well as download. Some full-fibre providers offer matching upload and download speeds; others do not. Compare the monthly price after any promotion, setup charges and the minimum contract. Both connections still need a good indoor network.
Installation and the wait
A full-fibre installation brings a cable from a pole or underground duct to the property, then through the wall to an indoor optical network terminal. That terminal connects to the router. Blocked ducts or unusual access can add work or require a survey. Ask for a realistic installation date before treating an advertised fibre service as ready to use.
Where Starlink helps
Starlink can get a remote property online without a new fixed cable. It can also serve as a backup to fibre with a suitable router. Where full fibre already meets your needs, a free month alone is not a reason to replace it.
Starlink and full fibre at home
| Your question | Starlink | Full fibre (FTTP) |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | An outdoor dish with a clear sky view, power and a cable indoors. A suitable ground-level setup can be DIY. | Fibre brought into the property and connected to an indoor terminal. A first installation normally needs an engineer. |
| Download speed | Expected ranges are 80–100 Mbps on Residential 100 and 80–200 Mbps on Residential 200. Max has location-based estimates. None is guaranteed. | Use the estimate for the package at your address. The largest number in an advert is not necessarily the speed of the package you would buy. |
| Upload speed | Residential 100 and 200 both list an expected 15–35 Mbps. Moving between them does not promise faster uploads. | Ask for the upload figure separately. Do not assume a 500 Mbps download package also uploads at 500 Mbps. |
| What can interrupt it | Objects blocking the dish’s sky view can interrupt service. Network demand and weather can also affect performance. | There is no dish view to keep clear. Cable faults, network faults and a loss of power to the home equipment can still interrupt service. |
| Costs to include | The service plan, equipment arrangement, mounting and electricity. Add fitting costs if you need help with the installation. | The full contract price, scheduled increases and setup charges. The router and fibre terminal also need electricity. |
| Getting connected | Can avoid waiting for a new cable network, provided service is available and the dish can be installed. | Confirm an installation date. Unusual access or a blocked duct may need extra work before the connection is ready. |
Check full fibre first if you can order it. Starlink is most useful when the wired service cannot reach your home, the wait is too long or you need a separate backup connection.
Before you choose
- Confirm the offer is FTTP. Part-fibre broadband still uses copper for the final stretch.
- Check upload speed, installation date and any minimum speed commitment for your address.
- Compare the full minimum term, including scheduled price rises and setup costs.
- Ofcom availability checker
- Ofcom broadband choice advice
- Openreach: full-fibre installation
- Openreach: FTTP and FTTC network types
- Starlink GB expected performance
Send a correction if a source has changed or something needs updating.