Starlink satellite internet service was launched in 2019 as a division of the American aerospace company SpaceX. SpaceX is responsible for designing, building, and launching rockets that carry payloads for various space companies, including its own Starlink satellites. This satellite internet service aims to provide digital connectivity to people in remote and rural areas globally, as well as to maritime users.

As of now, SpaceX has launched 3,000 Starlink satellites into low-earth orbit, with plans to eventually have more than 41,000 satellites. The ultimate goal is to achieve global satellite internet coverage. Currently, Starlink provides internet service in parts of 60 countries and has plans to launch a global mobile phone service.

DirecTV, a subsidiary of AT&T, was initially launched on June 17, 1994, by Hughes Electronics Corp. The service transmits digital satellite TV and audio to households in the U.S. and Latin America. The content is delivered via satellites to a dish antenna and set-top box installed at the customer's home. In 2015, AT&T acquired DirecTV. While DirecTV doesn't offer its own internet service, customers can bundle DirecTV programming with internet services from AT&T, CenturyLink, or other local providers. These bundles start at $119.99 per month and can go up to $234 per month, depending on the number of TV channels and the availability of fiber speeds.

For residential customers, Starlink charges a one-time equipment fee of $599. The monthly costs are $120 for standard service or $250 for 1 TB of data at priority speeds. There is no contract.

DirecTV mandates a 2-year contract, with prices increasing after the first year.

Starlink does not impose data limits, but speeds may decrease during periods of high congestion. For DirecTV bundles, whether or not data caps are imposed depends on the chosen plan. If a cap exists, additional data can usually be purchased at a reasonable cost when required.

When considering the cost for five years of service from both providers, it's important to note that prices are likely to increase over time. Starlink's costs are more predictable, with an upfront hardware fee of $599 and a stable monthly rate. This rate is expected to increase gradually, especially with upcoming competition from Amazon's satellite division.

DirecTV's internet bundles usually involve leasing equipment at about $10 per month. The cost of your plan will depend on the number of TV channels you choose and the technology options offered by the internet provider you bundle with. More channels and higher speeds result in higher costs. Overall, Starlink appears to be the more economical option. However, if your household requires fiber-optic speeds for activities like file uploads, gaming, live meetings, and Ultra HD streaming on multiple devices, the extra cost may be justified.

Starlink offers speeds ranging from 25 Mbps, which is the basic speed for broadband, up to a very capable 220 Mbps. DirecTV's internet bundle speeds depend on the network of the provider you choose. Non-fiber speeds can reach up to 300 Mbps, while fiber-optic speeds can go up to 1 Gig or more. These higher speeds support Ultra HD or 4G streaming, large file uploads and downloads, and gaming on several devices simultaneously.