Starlink experience to consider

[twistedtree]

Starlink has responded that I could cancel my Priority plan and go to the $150 plan, but that it would involve various downgrades in service. Then when I went to look at the plan options to see what the downgrades were, I saw that the Priority plan includes unlimited near-land data, same as the $150 plan. So now I have asked them how come I got charged for 50GB + 8GB overage for data use while tied to a dock 50' from shore in downtown Seattle. No answer as yet.

It's unlimited near land data AFTER you have consumed your 50GB or priority data. It always consumes priority data first.

 

[twistedtree]

From the poster #13 link, the Starlink map shows no hexagons on the BC Central Coast. Did you have coverage from Cape Caution to Prince Rupert while at anchor?

Yes. I don't know what the origin is of that map, but I have had service in areas without hexagons on that map. I have also had service the whole time while underway (8-9kts)

 

[SteveK]

The hexagons are for Starlink planning, for density coverage, they are not the only area coverage is available as shown by several threads of boats to/from Hawaii. There are no hex in the ocean yet service is offered.
BTW, the original starlink global map showed areas without coverage.

 

[ksanders]

So I do not see the problem here.

I have a normal 2 year old dish, and have it on whats called the mobile priority plan for $250 a month.

This gives me 50GB of priority data anywhere in the world. At sea, on land, anywhere.
When I run out of my 50GB, my plan automatically switches to non priority unlimited and only provides service near land. If I am going offshore I just click on "opt in" and I buy more data. No biggie.
When I return to near shore I unclick "opt in" and my data charges cease within 15 minutes.

But... my plan is for not in motion, and I have found the service cuts out intermitantially starting at about 8 knots.

 

[dannc]

...But, my question was only how anyone can be certain that Starlink doesn't know why equipment any particular consumer is using (and whether that has ventured more than 12 miles off shore).

My understanding is that the dish has a GPS receiver. Starlink knows, or can know, a dish location so they could use that capability to limit service.

 

[SteveK]

My understanding is that the dish has a GPS receiver. Starlink knows, or can know, a dish location so they could use that capability to limit service.

do you mean transmitter? A receiver only tells you where you are. If you log into your account to "manage" there is a map showing your home address location. I do not keep the boat at home address, so if they are tracking the location of the dish, why not show the boat location?

 

[Bmarler]

The dish has a receiver and can transmit the location digitally since the dish has the capacity to upload.

 

[dannc]

do you mean transmitter? A receiver only tells you where you are. If you log into your account to "manage" there is a map showing your home address location. I do not keep the boat at home address, so if they are tracking the location of the dish, why not show the boat location?

The dish has a GPS receiver. I would assume they would use the Internet data link to provide the dish location if they wanted too. For my house, they have my address and don't need GPS to find the location.

I don't know what Starlink does, or does not do, with it's GPS data, other than they use it to do the start up of the dish.

 

[Sababa]

I have the flat high performance with the $150 regional roam plan. It works great at anchor or the dock in the PNW. I turn on the metered priority at $2 per GB when I am in motion or need guaranteed quality of service. Not sure what the problem is supposed to be here.

 

[Ric]

Here's what I got from Starlink, boiled down. The $250/mo plan gives you 50GB of priority data and after that you get unlimited data at a slower rate. Basically you are paying $100 for 50GB of priority data, $2/GB to extend it, and that gets burned up first. Then the next $150 is for unlimited non-priority data. This makes the question about Cape Caution to Prince Rupert significant, since cell coverage is very limited en route. Having that 50GB of priority mobile data for when there's no cellular service would be worth paying for -- if, and only if, there's no access to non-priority data in that area.

 

[Sababa]

The Starlink for boats page allows you to order the standard kit for $599 with the $150/mo regional roam plan “for stationary use in marinas throughout a continent.” With this plan you can opt in to priority data as you need it, but you are not allowed to use that terminal in motion. If you want to use Starlink in motion without violating their terms of service or FCC license, you need to get the flat high performance. The order page for this will only allow you to specify the mobile priority plan, which includes 50 GB of priority data that you consume first whether you need it or not for $250/mo. This is a bad deal compared to the regional roam plan, which allows you to only consume priority/in-motion data when you need it. However, once you have ordered and activated you flat high performance dish and paid your first month subscription fee, you can change your plan to regional roam. This is what I did, and it works great for my needs.

 

[twistedtree]

Here's what I got from Starlink, boiled down. The $250/mo plan gives you 50GB of priority data and after that you get unlimited data at a slower rate. Basically you are paying $100 for 50GB of priority data, $2/GB to extend it, and that gets burned up first. Then the next $150 is for unlimited non-priority data. This makes the question about Cape Caution to Prince Rupert significant, since cell coverage is very limited en route. Having that 50GB of priority mobile data for when there's no cellular service would be worth paying for -- if, and only if, there's no access to non-priority data in that area.

We all know this can change at any time, but....

For Cape Caution to Rupert you do NOT need Priority data. I've done it three times now without interruption, all on the $150/mo Regional plan, and without the optional $2/GB turned on. In fact I have NEVER needed Priority data anywhere between (and including) Seattle to Glacier Bay, including all over BC and SE AK.

 

[SteveK]

Do you all see something different? , less than 10MPH in the roam plan. (name keeps hopping around) This is mobile regional, original RV plan.

 

[SeaDogAK]

I’m on the $150 per month regional roam (formerly RV) plan in SE Alaska. Inland waters only, works fine in motion (but we go 8 knots). We need it in motion because we’re often away from cell service. If they ever decide to block it on water or in motion we’ll think about other options but until then I don’t know why I’d pay another $100 a month for limited data.

 

[SteveK]

I’m on the $150 per month regional roam (formerly RV) plan in SE Alaska. Inland waters only, works fine in motion (but we go 8 knots). We need it in motion because we’re often away from cell service. If they ever decide to block it on water or in motion we’ll think about other options but until then I don’t know why I’d pay another $100 a month for limited data.

Ditto, and that is what we are trying to tell the OP.
Until it changes it works as needed

 

[dhays]

Here is a recent review aimed at RV users.

Starlink for RVs: A Complete Starlink Mobile Review | SatelliteInternet.com

Internet on the go with Starlink Mobile. We break down costs, features, and performance to help you make an informed decision for your travels.

www.satelliteinternet.com

 

[Ric]

We'll be able to convert to the $150/mo plan, once we get back to the boat. Can't do it in advance as we have to cancel service and the account, and then restart with the other plan, and then service starts immediately. This has been very helpful, and it's been enlightening to find that what Starlink says varies from what a sales agent says vs what a support agent says.
Cheers,
Ric

 

[SHASA III]

The RV mobile will work for you.
Starlink satellite tracker zoom in on seattle, most of the hex is land.

Our cruising grounds remain south of Campbell River, so the RV plan should work OK. Ordering the RV plan from Starlink.

 

[BoatingLife]

Just FYI, Starlink says you can no longer put mobile RV systems on boats, and their geotracking seems accurate enough to detect violations. So we put a marine system on our new boat despite the $250/mo charge (pausable). What I've found is that it's not workable for anything other than emails because the data limit is 50GB. Normal web browsing and an occasional movie download involves lots of back and forth between the unit and the satellite, almost doubling the download data count. Long story short, we ran out of data in 5 days, and the only options became paying $2/GB or shifting to a $1000/mo data plan. So we are using a cell phone router with an unlimited plan for everything other than email in remote locations, where there's no cell phone access. I put the system on pause and turned off the router, but the unit continued to consume small amounts of data for the rest of the month (a pause takes effect on the first day of your next billing cycle). Next time I will depower the unit completely and only power it up when needed. If you aren't thinking about going into remote locations without cell coverage, I'd forget about Starlink and put the money in a good cell phone booster and data plan.

I think they are misleading you, whether intentionally or otherwise. My RV dish still works fine on a boat including underway at 10 knots. The part about them tracking your location has to do with being offshore, meaning outside of the inland waters. Unless you wanted to boat many miles off of our coastlines, you'll be fine. I've gone to the $250 a month plan, cruising season only so I can get plenty of quality broadband, and agree that the per gig charge is a little bit hefty. I'm able to use that plan for work, surfing the internet, all of my emails and wireless phone calls as well as streaming the occasional Netflix movie, without getting into much of an overage. Good luck! Never believe customer service, they're just trying to upsell you.

 

[Sababa]

Confession, I have not been switching to mobile priority while underway at or below ten knots over the last several days and I have not had any problems with the service or nastygrams from Starlink about violating their policies. Now that I am up away from civilization, peak streaming hours are not a problem either.

 

[Csellars]

We have the RV unit on our trawler. April of last year we got an email saying that we have violated the terms of use and used it while moving. We were told we would have to upgrade to the marine 50 gig plan for $250 a month. We were on our way to Glacier Bay so we upgraded. We ran into many boats that got the same email and everyone ran into burning thru the 50 gigs in 5 to 10 days. One boat owner who I believe was a lawyer read the contract very carefully and said nowhere does it say that they cut you off at the 50 gigs. The 50 gigs are quote “ priority gigs” meaning that you get preferential speeds. So a whole group of us unchecked the box that we would pay the $2 per gigabit overage fee. We never saw a reduction in our speed and we sailed the boat from Glacier Bay to socal with no interruption of service.

 

[Mermas]

I just returned from the Bahamas I left Fort Lauderdale December 27 using the $250 per month plan using the new Starlink flat high-performance kit. I used the 50GB with in a day. By the next day I was deep into the Bahamas and would only loose service when I was far from land. On the trip from Chub to Nassau about 6-8NM of the 45NM I lost service. I also lost service crossing Exuma Sound for about 15NM from Black point to Long Island Bahamas. I then changed service in March to the mobile regional plan for $150 per month and for the few times I needed Ocean service I turned on the $2 per GB service and spent $14 the day I crossed back to the USA. I had a crew member that needed to work remotely for 7 zoom meetings while crossing the gulf stream. Based on my experience the $250 plan in not a good deal as the 50GB it comes with is not controllable and is used first even when i was at the dock in Fort Lauderdale and there is not discount. The $150 plan is unlimited in the region and for the few times I need it just turn on Ocean at $2GB.

Paul
Boat Patsea

 

[Dean Russell]

My experience is from Ft Lauderdale to Costa Rica in the last 6 weeks. I replaced the antenna on a stick with the flat panel. Starlink does now they will go on boats as they are selling them to West Marine and they can’t keep them in stock. The store I was at is selling several a day at $2,500 each. I bought the Regional Roam package. It worked fine at the dock and was good until we were about 20 miles off shore then it would not connect. I changed to $2/gb which it did do dispite not hooking up to anything but Starlink, and we were back almost instantaneously. When we got close to land, a few miles off, I switched back and it is fine. Consistent 90+ speed, both ways. It is a Nordhavn so there is no threat of going over 10 knots.

 

[Delfin]

We have the RV unit on our trawler. April of last year we got an email saying that we have violated the terms of use and used it while moving. We were told we would have to upgrade to the marine 50 gig plan for $250 a month. We were on our way to Glacier Bay so we upgraded. We ran into many boats that got the same email and everyone ran into burning thru the 50 gigs in 5 to 10 days. One boat owner who I believe was a lawyer read the contract very carefully and said nowhere does it say that they cut you off at the 50 gigs. The 50 gigs are quote “ priority gigs” meaning that you get preferential speeds. So a whole group of us unchecked the box that we would pay the $2 per gigabit overage fee. We never saw a reduction in our speed and we sailed the boat from Glacier Bay to socal with no interruption of service.

I experienced an interruption in service last June once offshore 20 miles or so. It appears it was a glitch in SL's ability to recognize what plan you're on when you exit a hexagon of coverage that touches land to one that doesn't, so whether the confusion SL sometimes generated is intentional or growing pains I don't know, but like others here, the $150/mo plan works fine underway at trawler speed in inland waters of the PNW.