Starlink Questions (for those that have used it a while)

[Riverbug]

Pondering options for internet (primarily streaming Netflix, YouTube and such) and considering Starlink but have questions...
a) Can it still be paused when not traveling? Say you are on the road 6 months out of the year off and on. Is it easy to pause and resume? Are there fees associated with that process?

b) We prefer shaded spots over baking in the sun. Does that basically make Starlink a no-go? Or, do you find you can still use it even when in state or county parks where there is usually shaded parking?

c) If you had to choose between a cellular router (cellular data plan) or Starlink, which would you recommend? (Looking for opinions from those that have actually had Starlink experience please.)

Thanks!

 

[CWSWine]

1. if you have the Roaming (was RV Service) you can suspend the service at the end of your billing cycle. They do not prorate service. It easy to stop and start using the Starlink App.

2. Starlink is not like Dish where you can find a spot between the trees and get service. Starlink takes a big hunk of open sky to be usable.

3. I have Starlink and only use it if I can not get good Cell service. I pay monthly for Calyx 5G T-mobile Unlimited and I'm in second year so cost me 44.00 per month and I also have a Verizon Grandfathered 5G plan that cost me 65.00 per month. Either one can be paused so my monthly cost is 109.00. Most of the time either T-Mobile or Verizon will give me enough service to stream. Backup plans that I can pause are Starlink and FMCA AT&T capped at 25 MB. Starlink is my last resort and I'm currently using it since I don't enough service on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon to stream and I'm just outside Orlando Florida.

I spend about 200 plus days a year in my RV so the 109.00 is worth it to me.

I do most of my RVing west of the Mississippi and have great results with T-Mobile.

If interested I have a list of equipment I use.

 

[Thirdmillennium]

Pondering options for internet (primarily streaming Netflix, YouTube and such) and considering Starlink but have questions...
a) Can it still be paused when not traveling? Say you are on the road 6 months out of the year off and on. Is it easy to pause and resume? Are there fees associated with that process?

b) We prefer shaded spots over baking in the sun. Does that basically make Starlink a no-go? Or, do you find you can still use it even when in state or county parks where there is usually shaded parking?

c) If you had to choose between a cellular router (cellular data plan) or Starlink, which would you recommend? (Looking for opinions from those that have actually had Starlink experience please.)

Thanks!

I use a static Starlink service in an area with zero cellular, my RV is stationed most of the year in the same place..I think it really depends on where you are and what your needs are.

 

[geotex1]

Shade is not a problem provided you. An find a clearing within the 100 foot cable length and having various mounting options... I use the original carryout stand and a telescoping pole that mounts to the rear ladder or a tripod of my construct. It's been the solution for the connectivity I need while remote. Between my wife and I, we have the three major cell carriers as backup. However, haven't had to. I do choose my campsites more wisely, but haven't had to do so drastically.

 

[jsm180]

I have had starlink at the house since June '22. It is our primary internet source and works well, no complaints other than the price increases and the loss of portability. The only way we can now take the dish with us is to buy a second dish and sign up for roam. Trees will be the main issue when traveling.

 

[Riverbug]

1. if you have the Roaming (was RV Service) you can suspend the service at the end of your billing cycle. They do not prorate service. It easy to stop and start using the Starlink App.

2. Starlink is not like Dish where you can find a spot between the trees and get service. Starlink takes a big hunk of open sky to be usable.

3. I have Starlink and only use it if I can not get good Cell service. I pay monthly for Calyx 5G T-mobile Unlimited and I'm in second year so cost me 44.00 per month and I also have a Verizon Grandfathered 5G plan that cost me 65.00 per month. Either one can be paused so my monthly cost is 109.00. Most of the time either T-Mobile or Verizon will give me enough service to stream. Backup plans that I can pause are Starlink and FMCA AT&T capped at 25 MB. Starlink is my last resort and I'm currently using it since I don't enough service on AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon to stream and I'm just outside Orlando Florida.

I spend about 200 plus days a year in my RV so the 109.00 is worth it to me.

I do most of my RVing west of the Mississippi and have great results with T-Mobile.

If interested I have a list of equipment I use.

Thank very much for the info. We really like our T mobile phones and looked at a hotspot but find we burned through lots of data in a month. Does Calyx throttle the data at all? I like what I read on their website. I was thinking that if we don't do Starlink we would want to cell router with antennas, but sounds like you get decent coverage with your hotspot? I don't really want multiple plans, but I do prefer not to rely on our phones for a hotspots; I would like an always on connection so we don't have to reconnect to the phones multiple times a day.

 

[CWSWine]

Thank very much for the info. We really like our T mobile phones and looked at a hotspot but find we burned through lots of data in a month. Does Calyx throttle the data at all? I like what I read on their website. I was thinking that if we don't do Starlink we would want to cell router with antennas, but sounds like you get decent coverage with your hotspot? I don't really want multiple plans, but I do prefer not to rely on our phones for a hotspots; I would like an always on connection so we don't have to reconnect to the phones multiple times a day.

The most I have put on my Calyx in a 30 day period is three RV used 1.7TB (1700 Gigs). My normal month to month if I use T-Mobile only runs between 400 and 600 gigs. Last year we snowbirds in Tucson and all winter I got 500 plus on speed test. Calyx does ZERO Throttling. Calyx is unlike a lot resellers because the deal that T-Mobile made with the FCC is they must provide X number of Not For Profit access that's how Calyx gets such good deals. The next best one is the FMCA which is CAPPED at 25Mbps but it still has unlimited data and I have put a couple hundred gigs on it but the best part there is no contract and you can pause service if you not using it and cost 65.00 plus FMCA membership.

We use a Pepwave Balance 20X that has a CAT 7 Modem which is ideal for both AT&T and T-Mobile. Any equipment you select should have Band 71 which is T-Mobile long distance band and Band 14 which is AT&T long distance band. Being able to use band locking and lock into those bands will make a big difference in the quality of signal. Lot of equipment locks into the strongest tower but that tower my be congested by locking out towers bands you check out see if there less used tower that might provide better service. The closest tower to the campgrounds is not always best tower to be on due to congestion.

If you want more from Balance 20X you can put a 5G modem in the accessory slot and Max adapter 5G modem give you the ability of having two 5G modems and a Cat 7.

 

[Riverbug]

The most I have put on my Calyx in a 30 day period is three RV used 1.7TB (1700 Gigs). My normal month to month if I use T-Mobile only runs between 400 and 600 gigs. Last year we snowbirds in Tucson and all winter I got 500 plus on speed test. Calyx does ZERO Throttling. Calyx is unlike a lot resellers because the deal that T-Mobile made with the FCC is they must provide X number of Not For Profit access that's how Calyx gets such good deals. The next best one is the FMCA which is CAPPED at 25Mbps but it still has unlimited data and I have put a couple hundred gigs on it but the best part there is no contract and you can pause service if you not using it and cost 65.00 plus FMCA membership.

We use a Pepwave Balance 20X that has a CAT 7 Modem which is ideal for both AT&T and T-Mobile. Any equipment you select should have Band 71 which is T-Mobile long distance band and Band 14 which is AT&T long distance band. Being able to use band locking and lock into those bands will make a big difference in the quality of signal. Lot of equipment locks into the strongest tower but that tower my be congested by locking out towers bands you check out see if there less used tower that might provide better service. The closest tower to the campgrounds is not always best tower to be on due to congestion.

If you want more from Balance 20X you can put a 5G modem in the accessory slot and Max adapter 5G modem give you the ability of having two 5G modems and a Cat 7.

We each have 40Gb high speed on our phones then it is throttled. Still usable but not very reliable once it starts throttling. If we had unthrottled data, I don't know how much we would use but would guess max 200Gb in a month, so we're not quite in the same ballpark as your data usage. But this is great information. One thing I don't understand yet...if we did get Calyx or FMCA it would come with a hotspot. So do you take the sim card out of the hotspot and put it into the Pepwave 20X? Is that the same as a cellular router (basically a hotspot with external antennas)?

 

[CWSWine]

We each have 40Gb high speed on our phones then it is throttled. Still usable but not very reliable once it starts throttling. If we had unthrottled data, I don't know how much we would use but would guess max 200Gb in a month, so we're not quite in the same ballpark as your data usage. But this is great information. One thing I don't understand yet...if we did get Calyx or FMCA it would come with a hotspot. So do you take the sim card out of the hotspot and put it into the Pepwave 20X? Is that the same as a cellular router (basically a hotspot with external antennas)?

First, Calyx in its TOS says you must use their Hotspot and I would recommend getting the M2000 5G and used in the M2000 for the first year. You can connect the M2000 to Balance 20X serial port which gives you the advantage to using bonding and failover to other connections including WY-FI WAN connections to the park WIFI or even your phones hotspot. I have put my SIM into a Pepwave MAX BR1 Pro 5G and the Balance 20X and just works. I know people that have had the Calyx SIM in Pepwave for a year and no problems. It always a risk that they will enforce the TOS and I'm fairly confident that are not enforcing it as of NOW.

Second the FMCA AT&T is a bring your own device. You can get it in a Franklin piece of junk hotspot or you give FMCA the IMEI of your unit and the type SIM you want and within the TOS to use your own device.

Depends on how you RV how much you will use but we spend a lot time in our RV so our usage is like what we use at home. See if you internet home internet provider gives you usage data. According to the usage reports I get from Pepwave we use between 1. 1.5 GB per hour streaming 1080P. Since we spend the amount of time we do on the road we have dropped out home internet to the cheapest we can find just to run our security systems and when were home we setup out Balance 20X and load balance with our home connections so we use our Balance 20X 365 days a year.

 

[jsm180]

Looking at the Calyx website, the M2000 isn't available, only the Quanta in 5g.

 

[Riverbug]

First, Calyx in its TOS says you must use their Hotspot and I would recommend getting the M2000 5G and used in the M2000 for the first year. You can connect the M2000 to Balance 20X serial port which gives you the advantage to using bonding and failover to other connections including WY-FI WAN connections to the park WIFI or even your phones hotspot. I have put my SIM into a Pepwave MAX BR1 Pro 5G and the Balance 20X and just works. I know people that have had the Calyx SIM in Pepwave for a year and no problems. It always a risk that they will enforce the TOS and I'm fairly confident that are not enforcing it as of NOW.

Second the FMCA AT&T is a bring your own device. You can get it in a Franklin piece of junk hotspot or you give FMCA the IMEI of your unit and the type SIM you want and within the TOS to use your own device.

Depends on how you RV how much you will use but we spend a lot time in our RV so our usage is like what we use at home. See if you internet home internet provider gives you usage data. According to the usage reports I get from Pepwave we use between 1. 1.5 GB per hour streaming 1080P. Since we spend the amount of time we do on the road we have dropped out home internet to the cheapest we can find just to run our security systems and when were home we setup out Balance 20X and load balance with our home connections so we use our Balance 20X 365 days a year.

Thanks again, very helpful. I'll continue to research and consider my options. I'm feeling like Starlink may not be best for us at this point, but need to give it more consideration. Appreciate all the helpful info. I watched a video on the Pepwave so understand it more. Not that clear yet on how one knows if you can take a sim card out of one device and put it in another, but I'll keep researching.

 

[CWSWine]

Looking at the Calyx website, the M2000 isn't available, only the Quanta in 5g.

I have no knowledge of the quality of the Quanta hotspot. But this link still shows the M2000 under Sustainer

https://calyxinstitute.org/membership/internet

On Edit -- I see if you try to signup the M2000 is no longer an option. I would send them note and ask them if or when it will become available again.

 

[KamFlyer]

We have had SL for a couple of months now and are generally happy with it. We are Canadian Snowbirds and bought when we came south using a US address. I turned portability on just before SL took that option away so for the time being anyway, I think we are locked in. I really didn't want the RV plan due to always being deprioritized.
I am not sure what will happen when we return to Canada at the end of the month though. The TOS says we can only expect to be able to use it for 2 months when out of the home country. If it turns out we have to switch to a Canadian plan then I guess we will do that.
We also have cell plans with generous data plans that allow us to roam onto any of the US networks so that gives us a back up if SL stops working for whatever reason.
Bottom line is that what ever you pick as a primary provider, always have a backup should the primary not be usable.

 

[BobinICT]

We have the RV version and we have only used it twice so far. When we initially got it at home we are in a waiting area, and then this past winter for a month when we went to Big Bend. It was nice having the ability to check weather and watch a little TV at night while in Big Bend and then on the way home with two nights stopped. Both stops had none or limited cell service. I do take it out and plug it in every month or so so it can update. Even with the now $150 a month charge, it's worth it to us. The apparently new feature to put it to sleep rather than unplugging it or shutting off the inverter is something I'm looking forward to trying this spring when we go off grid the western desert. Not cheap, but worthwhile as far as we are concerned.

 

[goducks14]

We have the RV version and we have only used it twice so far. When we initially got it at home we are in a waiting area, and then this past winter for a month when we went to Big Bend. It was nice having the ability to check weather and watch a little TV at night while in Big Bend and then on the way home with two nights stopped. Both stops had none or limited cell service. I do take it out and plug it in every month or so so it can update. Even with the now $150 a month charge, it's worth it to us. The apparently new feature to put it to sleep rather than unplugging it or shutting off the inverter is something I'm looking forward to trying this spring when we go off grid the western desert. Not cheap, but worthwhile as far as we are concerned.

Curious, when it loses power (Inverter off) how long does it take to completely reboot back up? Don't own one so I'm curious as to what happens when it needs to restart like if you shut it off at night and restart the next day.

 

[geotex1]

Curious, when it loses power (Inverter off) how long does it take to completely reboot back up? Don't own one so I'm curious as to what happens when it needs to restart like if you shut it off at night and restart the next day.

It's fast. My experience is about 3 minutes for a full reboot and back online.

 

[CWSWine]

Curious, when it loses power (Inverter off) how long does it take to completely reboot back up? Don't own one so I'm curious as to what happens when it needs to restart like if you shut it off at night and restart the next day.

It takes 2 or 3 minutes to connect and get service. To get full speed service it can take up to 15 minutes and that according to the App.

 

[goducks14]

It takes 2 or 3 minutes to connect and get service. To get full speed service it can take up to 15 minutes and that according to the App.

Okay. Thats not bad.

 

[jsm180]

I have no knowledge of the quality of the Quanta hotspot. But this link still shows the M2000 under Sustainer

On Edit -- I see if you try to signup the M2000 is no longer an option. I would send them note and ask them if or when it will become available again.

It looks like there is a new model in the works, MiFi Pro X 5G is showing on the T-Mobile site.

Curious, when it loses power (Inverter off) how long does it take to completely reboot back up? Don't own one so I'm curious as to what happens when it needs to restart like if you shut it off at night and restart the next day.

I had an issue with Starlink losing connection with the dish while on generator power. It seemed to be caused by dirty power from the Generac generator, I switched to the Honda UI2000's and it worked fine for the rest of the time power was out. This was during hurricane Ian in Oct. Just something to keep in mind, Starlink likes clean power.

 

[goducks14]

It looks like there is a new model in the works, MiFi Pro X 5G is showing on the T-Mobile site.



I had an issue with Starlink losing connection with the dish while on generator power. It seemed to be caused by dirty power from the Generac generator, I switched to the Honda UI2000's and it worked fine for the rest of the time power was out. This was during hurricane Ian in Oct. Just something to keep in mind, Starlink likes clean power.

Interesting as I have both a Honda 2000W and a newer Generac iq3500. What model was your Generac?