This thesis presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite service and conventional terrestrial cellular networks (4G/5G) in Indonesia, specifically focusing on West Java. The primary objective is to evaluate how these distinct technologies can complement each other to bridge the persistent digital divide between densely populated urban areas and underserved ru- ral regions. This study hypothesizes that while 5G will excel in urban environments requiring high bandwidth and low latency, Starlink will provide more reliable con- nectivity in remote areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
The research employs a multi-faceted methodology, commencing with a liter- ature review to establish a theoretical framework for satellite and 5G communica- tions. Data collection involved both primary field measurements of key Quality of Service (QoS) indicators—including download and upload throughput, latency, jitter, and packet loss—and secondary data from official sources. These measure- ments were conducted across four distinct geographical categories in West Java: Dense Urban (Bandung City), Urban (Bandung Regency), Suburban (Karawang Regency), and Rural (Garut Regency). Subsequent analyses comprised technical evaluation (network performance, link budget, and capacity using Shannon capacity formula), economic assessment (affordability relative to regional minimum wages and business model analysis), and regulatory review (examining national telecom- munications laws and data protection policies).
The findings reveal that 5G consistently offers superior low latency (e.g., 17.96 ms in Dense Urban) and minimal packet loss (often near 0%), making it ideal for ur- ban areas. In contrast, Starlink demonstrates highly consistent download throughput (e.g., 131.95 Mbps in Rural areas with low STD of 20.84 Mbps) and high network availability (approaching 100% in rural areas), proving more effective in bridging connectivity gaps where terrestrial networks falter due to high variability (e.g., 4G rural download STD of 95.84 Mbps). Economically, Starlink is significantly less af- fordable due to high hardware costs (e.g., 48.96% of rural annual minimum wage), unlike cellular services which are well within affordability thresholds (below 24%). The thesis concludes that a hybrid network deployment strategy, mandated by a robust regulatory framework enforcing local infrastructure and data sovereignty, is crucial for Indonesia to leverage these technologies effectively while safeguarding national interests and ensuring equitable broadband access.
Keywords: Compara- tive Analysis, Starlink, Cellular Service.