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Disclaimer: I am a very happy Starlink customer that has no other option for internet besides terrible LTE. Starlink never originally advertised the ability to

Disclaimer: I am a very happy Starlink customer that has no other option for internet besides terrible LTE. Starlink never originally advertised the ability to transfer service or even sell your hardware. It was very clear from the beginning you had to use it for the address you provided, and their communication was very clear to that effect. You are definitely correct that logically you should be able to sell your kit, transfer service, or just move with it (Elon has said you’ll eventually be able to use it on an RV). But you took that logical end result and set your own expectations based on assumptions that were not aligned with reality. You are not in the target market, of course you’re going to be frustrated.

HideousKojima 5y ago
>(Elon has said you’ll eventually be able to use it on an RV) Mobile antennas will also require separate FCC approval.
- lostlogin 5y ago
  That just seems crazy. Why?
  - HWR_14 5y ago
    The FCCs primary concern is devices not interfering with each other. Part of that is cutting up areas geographically and by spectrum, so you know that the 100MHz FM station in one area won't over lap with another's and both can transmit. My guess would be that mobile transmitters are required to fill out paperwork about how they won't interfere anywhere in the US. I could be wrong though. "Requires separate approvals" does not always mean that approval is hard to get. It might require a version of the dish that doesn't do something v1 or v1 and v2 current do however.
    - labawi 5y ago
      Movement shifts spectrum so theoretically it may require bigger guard bands and slightly different paperwork. OTOH, I doubt SpaceX allocated spectrum is tied to a any particular location (as opposed to say - within country bounds), considering it's satellite communication. Starlink itself cares about positioning to avoid overcrowding and also any satellite tasking/scheduling/whatever.
zucker42 5y ago
> even sell your hardware If you can't sell it, is it really yours?
- bentobean 5y ago
  You can light it on fire or chunk it in the trash without consequence, so… kinda sorta?
- michaelt 5y ago
  Several ISPs charge you a 'connection fee' to get some weird locked down hardware, and if you close your account it becomes useless.

HideousKojima 5y ago

>(Elon has said you’ll eventually be able to use it on an RV) Mobile antennas will also require separate FCC approval.

lostlogin 5y ago
That just seems crazy. Why?
- HWR_14 5y ago
  The FCCs primary concern is devices not interfering with each other. Part of that is cutting up areas geographically and by spectrum, so you know that the 100MHz FM station in one area won't over lap with another's and both can transmit. My guess would be that mobile transmitters are required to fill out paperwork about how they won't interfere anywhere in the US. I could be wrong though. "Requires separate approvals" does not always mean that approval is hard to get. It might require a version of the dish that doesn't do something v1 or v1 and v2 current do however.
  - labawi 5y ago
    Movement shifts spectrum so theoretically it may require bigger guard bands and slightly different paperwork. OTOH, I doubt SpaceX allocated spectrum is tied to a any particular location (as opposed to say - within country bounds), considering it's satellite communication. Starlink itself cares about positioning to avoid overcrowding and also any satellite tasking/scheduling/whatever.

zucker42 5y ago

> even sell your hardware If you can't sell it, is it really yours?

bentobean 5y ago
You can light it on fire or chunk it in the trash without consequence, so… kinda sorta?
michaelt 5y ago
Several ISPs charge you a 'connection fee' to get some weird locked down hardware, and if you close your account it becomes useless.