starlink experience?

[Ccat]

Anybody currently using the Starlink internet system in Puna?

How is the speed and reliability, for real?

Ccat

[knieft]

Works very very well. Have had since October 2022 in Opihikao with unobstructed site. Ping around 90. Download between 150 and 250. Upload 8 to 15.

No detectable downtime.
No problems during heavy weather.
Set up is extremely easy and automated. The antennae finds best line of site and all you do is choose a password.
Works with VPN no problem (TunnelBear).
Streams 4K with no problem.
Router is strong.
I have the ethernet dongle wired to latest AppleTV. No noticeable difference really, since it works fine as wifi.
Not a gamer so don't know about that.
Once a month or so I unplug the router for a few seconds just as a maintenance thing. Takes a couple minutes to come back on.

I initially bought the side mount (and the ethernet dongle), but didn't need the mount. Return was easy and no cost.

Only downside is the $110 monthly and $500+ start up. Was emailed (see below) that monthly is now $110, but it always has been so don't really understand.

We are thrilled to finally have a real internet connection after 25 years going back to Coconut Wireless, AWS, and various hotspots after the ATT tower installed during the 2018 lava period.

I am glad to answer any other questions I haven't covered.

Cheers,
Kirt

===

Due to excessive levels of inflation, the price of the Starlink kit is increasing from $499 to $549 for deposit holders, and $599 for all new orders, effective today. In addition, the Starlink monthly service price will increase from $99 to $110. 

The sole purpose of these adjustments is to keep pace with rising inflation. As Starlink expands service in your area, you will be emailed when your Starlink is ready and you will have 7 days to finalize your order. You can cancel your deposit for a full refund at any time in your account page.

Since launching our public beta service in October 2020, the Starlink team has tripled the number of satellites in orbit, quadrupled the number of ground stations and made continuous improvements to our network. Going forward, users can expect Starlink to maintain its cadence of continuous network improvements as well as new feature additions. 

Thank you for being a Starlink customer and your continued support! 

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Due to excessive levels of inflation, 

And Elon Musk paying $44 billion for Twitter, then almost single handedly destroying the company and it’s stock value.  Gotta try and make that $ up somewhere.

[Obie]

I have Starlink in Ohio. My email said they raised my rate because they were fully subscribed and unable to offer any more new service in my area.

[Ccat]

Works very very well. Have had since October 2022 in Opihikao with unobstructed site. Ping around 90. Download between 150 and 250. Upload 8 to 15.
 

Glad to hear that.  Its gotten just plain impossible to manage without a fast, totally reliable connection these days.  Much of the US still doesnt have decent service at any price.  The US is really behind in so much!

Ccat

[terracore]

Due to excessive levels of inflation, 

And Elon Musk paying $44 billion for Twitter, then almost single handedly destroying the company and it’s stock value.  Gotta try and make that $ up somewhere.

Before he bought twitter, he was complaining that the Pentagon had not reimbursed Starlink for the $180 million the 20,000 Starlink units donated to Ukraine was costing.  That was last year.

A few weeks ago, Biden was bragging that the USA is helping to fund Ukrainian's pensions. And now, Starlink customers are paying for their internet.

[oink]

Not in Puna!

I'm using Starlink in southern Florida. With ATT I had at best 2.7 download and 256k upload. With Starlink it varies from around 48 to 240 down and 4 to 12 up. It also seems to be improving. I can now even watch internet TV reliably which was previously impossible. It may still seem slow compared to what some people can get but it has been night and day difference for us.

I'm also between cell towers and coverage was very unreliable inside the house. I'm running a Verizon extender off of the Starlink and now have reliable cell coverage too.

[AaronM]

I didn't think you'd need signal help in SoFlo...

[oink]

It depends on where in S Fl. I'm in northeastern S. Fl but I'm West of most of the coastal development. But you're correct, I wouldn't think I'd need signal help here either but I guess the density here isn't enough to make building out fiber optic infrastructure profitable. As for cellphone coverage I think we're just in the midpoint between towers and there isn't a lot of density West of us for a few miles. But heck, we're only about 5 miles from several shopping centers and grocery stores.

[knieft]

Starlink has been very stable for us since hookup in opihikoa.

Now they have something new, the StarLink Mini. Trying to figure out what the market might be for this, and/or whether I should be interested. On the face of it, it appears I could replace Spectrum at an Ainaloa property but would take a year to pay off the upfront cost (monthly Spectrum is $80 versus $30/month for StarLink with $600 initial) and save $600/year after that.  I doubt that is the marketing purpose of this, but not sure what they want an existing customer to use this for…occasional camping trips? Anyone know what I’m missing here?

And the claimed power savings don’t really ring true as our non-mini installation uses pretty much the same wattage draw.

Below is the crux of yesterday’s email.

Cheers,
Kirt


Starlink Mini is a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack, designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet on the go.

Starlink Mini includes a built-in WiFi router, lower power consumption, DC power input, and max download speeds over 100 Mbps*. See Starlink Mini specifications here.

  

You are invited to purchase the Starlink Mini Kit for $599 and bundle the Mini Roam service with your existing Residential service plan for an additional $30/mo. 

  

Our goal is to reduce the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable. But in regions with high usage, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network, we are offering a limited number of the Starlink Mini Kits to start for $599. 

Our first 10,000 orders will be shipped ahead of July 4th. Remaining orders will take 2 to 4 weeks to ship.