Starlink Becomes More RV-Friendly with New Portability Feature
The Satellite Internet Service Brings High-Speed Connection for Boondockers
Image Caption: Image Courtesy of SpaceX
Satellite internet provider Starlink has always held a lot of promise for use while RVing. The company offers a high-speed connection even in remote locations, and its equipment is small, lightweight, and easy to set up. The only drawback was that use of the service was restricted to just one location, making it less than ideal for life on the road.
But as more satellites have come online, the company has recently removed this restriction, making it a much more viable option for use at the campsite. Starlink has even introduced a new Portability tier to its service, which, when activated, gives users the ability to connect from anywhere on their home continent. Unsurprisingly, this new service does come with an additional monthly fee.
Image Courtesy of Starlink
According to Starlink’s FAQ, active customers can turn on the Portability feature from their account page. The change will take effect immediately, granting remote access within a few minutes. Service is provided on a “best-effort” basis, with no guarantees in terms of the speed and reliability of the connection. Local users receive preferential network routing compared to remote customers.
The new Portability roaming feature adds $25 per month to Starlink’s standard $110 fee. New customers must also pay a one-time $599 equipment fee for the satellite dish, mounting base, cables, and a network router.
So what kind of performance can Starlink users expect while in Portable mode? Depending on location and signal strength, speed will vary, but performance should remain fairly consistent. The company says that its connection should surpass 100 Mbps in most areas, which is on par with home internet speeds.
I’m camping at a remote state park this week with no cell reception. None of my hotspots work (Verizon, AT&T, T-mobile). So set up Starlink and like magic – high speed internet(!). Starlink is changing the game. @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/sfs9ANNIt3
— Dave Lee (@heydave7) May 3, 2022
Currently, Starlink doesn’t support an internet connection on a moving vehicle, although the company is also working to fix that issue. It is already testing inflight Wi-Fi service aboard Delta Airlines flights and has entered into an agreement with Hawaiian Air to provide onboard internet as well. That could mean that customers can mount their dish onto their RV in the future and have a high-speed connection at all times.
For more information about Starlink, its Portability feature, and coverage area, visit the company’s website.
Update: Since this story was originally posted, Starlink has added a service option specifically for RVs. Find out more here.
