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Starlink does not allow you to be mobile. You have to give them a service address and that address cant change (often enough for RV travel) Edited - spelling

pradn 6y ago
Thank you. Is this for billing reasons or something technical?
- Sebb767 6y ago
  I'd guess its about satellite load. On large assemblies (think burning man), it would probably break down their link all together and it's hard to quickly provision a satellite.
- gamegoblin 6y ago
  They are currently doing a contract with the military to run Starlink on their airplanes flying around [1], so I assume it is not a fundamental technical limitation. In the early days, before the constellation is fully fleshed out, it may have something to do with capacity management. I could imagine that there is a relatively low density limitation right now, so if everyone drove their Starlink connected vans to e.g. Yosemite National Park on a holiday, that would be too much density to handle. [1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-starlink-airforce/musks-satellite-project-testing-encrypted-internet-with-military-planes-idUSKBN1X12KM https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-starlink-airforce/...
disabled 6y ago
You have to give them a permanent address, but what you do with it is another story. People on boats are successfully using it: https://provscons.com/starlink-is-the-best-internet-for-boats/ https://provscons.com/starlink-is-the-best-internet-for-boat... However, it cannot be used extremely far off the coast, like on cruise ships. Starlink still requires base stations on land for use. They hope to solve this issue in 2-5 years, supposedly.
- iso1210 6y ago
  Moved our dish about 20 miles today (from west london to the chilterns), get an "out of area" message and it doesn't lock on, which is a shame
modeless 6y ago
It will! SpaceX just filed with the FCC this month for approval of mobile ground stations on land vehicles, boats, and aircraft. https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2021-00934/3877177.pdf https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2021-00934/3877177.pdf

pradn 6y ago

Thank you. Is this for billing reasons or something technical?

Sebb767 6y ago
I'd guess its about satellite load. On large assemblies (think burning man), it would probably break down their link all together and it's hard to quickly provision a satellite.
gamegoblin 6y ago
They are currently doing a contract with the military to run Starlink on their airplanes flying around [1], so I assume it is not a fundamental technical limitation. In the early days, before the constellation is fully fleshed out, it may have something to do with capacity management. I could imagine that there is a relatively low density limitation right now, so if everyone drove their Starlink connected vans to e.g. Yosemite National Park on a holiday, that would be too much density to handle. [1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-starlink-airforce/musks-satellite-project-testing-encrypted-internet-with-military-planes-idUSKBN1X12KM https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-starlink-airforce/...

disabled 6y ago

You have to give them a permanent address, but what you do with it is another story. People on boats are successfully using it: https://provscons.com/starlink-is-the-best-internet-for-boats/ https://provscons.com/starlink-is-the-best-internet-for-boat... However, it cannot be used extremely far off the coast, like on cruise ships. Starlink still requires base stations on land for use. They hope to solve this issue in 2-5 years, supposedly.

iso1210 6y ago
Moved our dish about 20 miles today (from west london to the chilterns), get an "out of area" message and it doesn't lock on, which is a shame

modeless 6y ago

It will! SpaceX just filed with the FCC this month for approval of mobile ground stations on land vehicles, boats, and aircraft. https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2021-00934/3877177.pdf https://fcc.report/IBFS/SES-LIC-INTR2021-00934/3877177.pdf