Starlink Maritime now starting at $250/month

[CaptainRivet]

RV roam is still a very good option, I am fully ok with best effort near coast.
That’s why I bought it and it’s working great at anchor. working offshore was a nice add on I was aware will be cut one day…that came earlier then expected.

Just tried on starlink, martime not available with europe address, only USA I assume.

[two-rocks]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

My old InReach is looking better every day.

It would be interesting to see someone (hopefully not Garmin) develop a similar device which would use the Starlink constellation, and maybe others. Text and limited data only, no voice. This trivial bandwidth would be pure profit for the carrier. Of course it would take a totally different antenna technology, to fit in a hand-held device. Not sure that's possible.

Happening NOW or very soon, Starlink V2 and T-mobile. T-Mobile owns the frequencies and have a agreement with Starlink. Most T-Mobile handsets have the hardware already (if the device is more than several years old, not sure, but you can look look up the specifications).

iPhone 14 has satellite connectivity for emergency communication, but you have to point a certain way/make a connection/ and uses 'older' technology/satellites.

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-car...nd-with-spacex

"T-Mobile’s network will be compatible with the new service using the device’s existing radio. No extra equipment to buy. It just works"

"To provide this service, the companies will create a new network, broadcast from Starlink’s satellites using T-Mobile’s mid-band spectrum nationwide. This true satellite-to-cellular service will provide nearly complete coverage almost anywhere a customer can see the sky."

Mostly US based (although oceans are mentioned) and who knows what added cost will be needed on the plan.

[Statistical]

I think people had vastly unrealistic expectations if they were thinking there would ever be global unlimited offshore satellite internet for $150 a month.

Compare Starlink to other marine offshore internet and it is more than capable. Iridium Go "unlimited" at dialup speeds is $120 a month. Iridium Go Exec (<5 Mbps) with 125 MB/mo data plan in $315. KVH is what >$500 for 1GB a month with 12 month contract. Starlink allows pausing service (1 month increments) which provides flexibility.

Data not sold to yachters can be sold to commercial aviation, militaries, and shipping companies who will see a couple bucks a Gig of data as an absolute steal. It was never going to be dirt cheap. If someday a Starlink competitor emerges (Amazon?) it also won't be dirt cheap for offshore service. Anyone thinking that was just filling up on delusion.

Only two things I wish they had
a) ability to easily swap (even if on monthly basis) between Roam and Maritime plans. Technically you could do that now with two antennas and pausing the one not needed but that is clunky. Make it switchable and most of the pricing concerns go away. $150 a month for Roam when coastal and "upgrading" to Maritime when offshore.

b) a cheaper plan. 10GB for $100/mo? Sold. I don't need 50 GB.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

WTF that sucks…and why do I need the 2500$ dish if the RV one just works fine?
They milk every customer group best they can, just give a bit more then competition, that shows Musks true face. You catch people with a „gamechanger“, if you have enough baits caught and invested just give a bit more then competition….
Not worth for me too. I would be ok if maritime works with the 400Euro RV dishy. I use RV as long as it makes sense, offshore with iridium go which I can switch on/off each month.
It’s time the other satellite systems like kuiper start working to create more competition.

Reports from the field are that the $2500 performs better than the base one, with fewer drop outs.

[sailingunity]

Seems like a fair deal to me. I remember having a conversation with an Uber driver I had who was also in sales for Starlink, and mentioned to him there needed to be something in the middle. That offshore cruisers don't have the budget for 10k a month, but would like some type of basic coverage while offshore. Maybe they listened!

[Sailing August]

The RV version works fine in the Bahamas

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Sailing August

The RV version works fine in the Bahamas

They probably figured out how many cruisers were using the RV plan. My guess is RV plan support outside the US, esp offshore, will go away soon.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by Sailing August

The RV version works fine in the Bahamas

For now. Entirely possible SpaceX will start to tighten down on the Roam access over water. Marina and mooring access will almost always be fine but not many RVs I know going 10 km into the ocean.

This was never an officially supported capability. Their availability maps always ended at the shoreline. SpaceX was just a bit loose because why not. As subscriber base grows entirely possible they tighten things up to push people into higher priced plans.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

They probably figured out how many cruisers were using the RV plan. My guess is RV plan support outside the US, esp offshore, will go away soon.

Support outside the US is unlikely to go away. RV is now Roam and offered in both regional and global plans. So support on land is official. Plenty of non-cruiser applications.

Support on the water is a bit more questionable. Marina support is a bit more likely. Doubt SpaceX is going to be drawing the service access down the meter and better to air on the side of caution due to inaccurate maps but 5km, 10km offshore? Yeah good chance that get restricted.

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Statistical

Support outside the US is unlikely to go away. RV is now Roam and offered in both regional and global plans. So support on land is official. Plenty of non-cruiser applications.

Support on the water is a bit more questionable. Marina support is a bit more likely. Doubt SpaceX is going to be drawing the service access down the meter and better to air on the side of caution due to inaccurate maps but 5km, 10km offshore? Yeah good chance that get restricted.

Sorry yeah what I mainly meant is the luxury cruisers have been enjoying to go offshore with it and freely move from country to country. Previously the ToS said it was only available in the country of registration, but they didn't seem to enforce it. I guess my info is out to date.

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by CaptainRivet

RV roam is still a very good option, I am fully
Just tried on starlink, martime not available with europe address, only USA I
assume.

Looks like available in a few European countries. I expect the limit is regulatory approval so that list will probably grow over the coming months.

https://support.starlink.com/?topic=...7-ea58fb5600b5

[Statistical]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

Sorry yeah what I mainly meant is the luxury cruisers have been enjoying to go offshore with it and freely move from country to country. Previously the ToS said it was only available in the country of registration, but they didn't seem to enforce it. I guess my info is out to date.

Gotcha yeah they originally did say that and you are right it wasn't enforced. They later decided to offer what customers wanted as a premium service. Roam is either regionally locked at $150/mo or global for $200/mo. So someone traveling the US in an RV would pay $150 and someone wanting to travel the world would pay $200.

Right now "Roam" service unofficially still supports data in the ocean if you are within range of a land to reach a ground station without using intersat links but remains to be seen how long that lasts now that there is an official maritime service.

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by Statistical

Only two things I wish they had
a) ability to easily swap (even if on monthly basis) between Roam and Maritime plans. Technically you could do that now with two antennas and pausing the one not needed but that is clunky. Make it switchable and most of the pricing concerns go away. $150 a month for Roam when coastal and "upgrading" to Maritime when offshore.

I thought they would allow this as long as it was done only on a monthly basis. Maybe I misunderstood things when going through their fine print.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Just a quick note.

FWIW - we just received a note from our Iridium provider that the ability to turn it on and off will be greatly restricted. We currently have the Iridium Go plan and after July of this year it will be $300 USD to reactivate a suspended SIM card. We are looking into options

Ron - S/V Just Lucky

[alctel]

CA$329/mo with a one-time hardware cost of CA$3,170 according to the Canadian site.

Oof.

Not really surprising though (although I am surprised you need different hardware), a lot of people were predicting this.