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Russians have targeted Ukrainian electricity and communication infrastructure. In some areas, there may not be any utility poles left standing, and underground conduits may have been bombed to oblivion. Starlink has been an important tool for these brave people to coordinate their resistance to Putin’s brutal invasion. Satellite communication doesn’t require any middle-mile infrastructure. Starlink provides low-latency, high-bandwidth communication wherever 110/220 volt electricity is available. Any vehicle with an inverter can supply this power, as can a portable generator. Russia has endorsed Starlink’s effectiveness by hard trying to hack it; so far, they haven’t succeeded.
Much more mundanely, a year ago, I took a long RV trip and struggled with uneven WiFi in campgrounds and data caps on my Verizon phone. I saw camper setting up their portable Dish Network and DirectTV dishes and dreamed of the day when I could put my Starlink disk on a couple of cinder blocks next to the RV.
That day has come!
For an extra $25/month, traveling Starlink subscribers can now transport their dishes to new locations that currently have service. It can go to a campground. It can go to a camp or event site, but it must have 110/220 volt power available—same as at home. It must also have a clear view of the northern sky above about 25 degrees of elevation in the northern hemisphere or the southern sky in the southern hemisphere. You can turn roaming on or off from the Starlink website, so you only have to pay the premium for the months you’re on the move.
The FAQs on Starlink website explain further limitations:
The Starlink service map is essential for planning travel. It shows, for example, that all the lower 48 states in the US have service. Alaska does not, and only part of Hawaii does. Southern Canada does and Northern Canada doesn’t. Mexico does but not Honduras.
The map also shows areas where there is a backlog for new service. In these areas, you would expect to have degraded service during peak times because there are already as many permanent users there as Starlink can currently support.
Happy travels.
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Thank you! Most interesting.