A Second Look at Geolocation and Starlink
16 days ago
- #Starlink
- #ISP Market Share
- #Geolocation
- The article revisits the geolocation and market share data of Starlink in Yemen, initially deemed dubious due to implausibly high user numbers.
- Civil unrest in Yemen affects measurement data, leading to anomalies in ISP market share, especially for Starlink.
- Starlink's service agreement allows for community Wi-Fi sharing, which may explain higher user numbers during disruptions.
- Houthi-run Yemen banned Starlink devices and Google Ads on Yemen Net, impacting ad-based measurement data.
- A workaround using Aden Net's stable data helps estimate Starlink and other ISPs' market shares in Yemen.
- Similar issues with ad-blocking and civil unrest are observed in Myanmar, complicating ISP market share analysis.
- The author restores original Starlink geolocation data for 20 countries, finding it more reliable after further analysis.
- Starlink's global user base is estimated at 2.3 million, growing by 800,000 users per year.