Starlink Cost

[Obi]

Might be worth exploring. I have no idea on how operational it is only that it is intended to be an EU alternative to Starlink:
Satellite connectivity solutions for maritime | Eutelsat

 

[st599]

I think the point was that in post #6 you mentioned "1 MB/s", however in post #8 you've confirmed it's actually "1mbps". The b/B difference is significant in this case.

As does the M/m. At 1mbps it takes 1000 seconds to get 1 bit.

 

[chris-s]

Out of curiosity does Starlink treat France, Spain and Italy as separate countries for "Roaming" or does it treat the EU as a single country?

Our ‘home’ is the UK but it worked fine in the Channel Islands and Brittany coast this summer. It did stop part way across the channel but happily resumed service once near land. Consequently I think you will find that France Spain and Italy will all be covered.

 

[lustyd]

They are all covered up to 12 mile limit but EU is odd for Starlink as there are various laws stating an offer in one country is valid in all so Starlink must treat them as one country.

Then France made a local law stipulating maximum price for broadband and Starlink have been fighting ever since.

 

[Goldie]

Our ‘home’ is the UK but it worked fine in the Channel Islands and Brittany coast this summer. It did stop part way across the channel but happily resumed service once near land. Consequently I think you will find that France Spain and Italy will all be covered.

Indeed, the coverage is there but I don’t think that this was the question that was posed in #12. My interpretation is that the question relates to what counts as ‘roaming’ and whether the EU is treated as a single entity or whether Starlink considers roaming as country by country. I think it’s the latter. Even within the EU, Starlink charges differ between countries.

 

[st599]

I think that Starlink only completed its EU roll-out last year as they need ITU and Government permission for each country of operation. There are still large parts of the Med where they can't legally operate.

 

[lustyd]

I think that Starlink only completed its EU roll-out last year as they need ITU and Government permission for each country of operation. There are still large parts of the Med where they can't legally operate.

That’s an interesting point. They are operating in those areas. The licence is to sell a service hence the weird 2 month roam thing. Cutting off service prevents people buying and moving to those areas permanently while still enabling the global service to function.

 

[Dockhead]

Our ‘home’ is the UK but it worked fine in the Channel Islands and Brittany coast this summer. It did stop part way across the channel but happily resumed service once near land. Consequently I think you will find that France Spain and Italy will all be covered.

Did you have the low speed data when you were cut off? Or is that only in the new "Standby" mode?

And has anyone heard confirmation of whether the new "Standby" mode works offshore?

 

[lustyd]

Did you have the low speed data when you were cut off? Or is that only in the new "Standby" mode?

And has anyone heard confirmation of whether the new "Standby" mode works offshore?

Yes it’s partly designed to allow 2 factor email authentication so people can switch plans and enable roaming/priority which has been an issue for a while.

 

[mjcp]

Looking for a quick yes/no. Am I reading correctly that the roaming cost for Starlink is £50pm with kit cost <£200 and amp draw 3-4 at 12v (or therebouts). All seems a little too good ?????

I have a Starlink mini (purchased direct, June this year)

I also have a 12V / 30W "PD" USB-C socket from Scan strut. The mini does not start correctly from the 12V / 30W supply. It really needs 40W on start up and *THEN* drops to low 20Ws once up and running.

I've now swapped to a 12V-> 48V transformer (Amazon, £15 inc the starlink cable) and it works happily.

 

[westernman]

I have a Starlink mini (purchased direct, June this year)

I also have a 12V / 30W "PD" USB-C socket from Scan strut. The mini does not start correctly from the 12V / 30W supply. It really needs 40W on start up and *THEN* drops to low 20Ws once up and running.

I've now swapped to a 12V-> 48V transformer (Amazon, £15 inc the starlink cable) and it works happily.

You also don't need to buy expensive Starlink extension cables. Any old RJ45 plus a couple of pairs of connectors (1 euro each from Alibaba) will do the job.

 

[lustyd]

You also don't need to buy expensive Starlink extension cables. Any old RJ45 plus a couple of pairs of connectors (1 euro each from Alibaba) will do the job.

This isn’t strictly true. Some Ethernet cables would not support the current requirement of Starlink, and certainly not if the cable run is over a few metres. Older cable types may not sufficiently shield for power and data over certain lengths either so performance could be affected.

Some cheap cable on those sites isn’t even copper core!

 

[westernman]

This isn’t strictly true. Some Ethernet cables would not support the current requirement of Starlink, and certainly not if the cable run is over a few metres. Older cable types may not sufficiently shield for power and data over certain lengths either so performance could be affected.

Some cheap cable on those sites isn’t even copper core!

A standard Cat 8 cable is more than capable of delivering enough power for a standard dish over 100m.
If you are missing only a few tens of meters then Cat 6 cable will be good enough as well (it certainly is in my case where I needed to add about 20m to the supplied cable).

Shielding is perfectly adequate for the lowish speeds of Starlink for both Cat 6 and Cat 8.

Cable is cheap enough unless you need kms to wire up a whole neighbourhood.

Been there, and done that.

I also have 95m PoE cable run from a PoE switch to my front gate, a cheap PoE splitter (powered from PoE) to supply the video phone and another camera 85m away watching the second gate for my house. All works perfectly.

 

[lustyd]

You implied any old cable (although you said RJ45, which isn’t cable).
I said not all Ethernet cables is sufficient and you’re now saying full spec and modern cable is needed. I don’t know what you’re trying to say now, but it seems to be that instead of a Starlink branded cable you can use a well specced modern Ethernet cable, which was what I was correcting you with?

 

[Dockhead]

I have a Starlink mini (purchased direct, June this year)

I also have a 12V / 30W "PD" USB-C socket from Scan strut. The mini does not start correctly from the 12V / 30W supply. It really needs 40W on start up and *THEN* drops to low 20Ws once up and running.

I've now swapped to a 12V-> 48V transformer (Amazon, £15 inc the starlink cable) and it works happily.

I've had a lot of trouble with the smaller USB-C PD hard-wired power supplies. I run several devices on my boat from these, including my fixed installed minicomputer I use for navigation. There are plenty of high powered PD supplies which use a cigar lighter socket but they are hard to find for fixed installation. I'm using this one with Starlink: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thlevel-Charging-Socket-Charger-Motorcycle-Blue/dp/B0CB5XMKVH?crid=37IVQ57OQLS4A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lsfPQY6EiKglBGh_Uy13hnmKAdXW1u_8Db2fBqVYlo3lfIN9l9tpYxvmUaxTi0vUVfV0m76TU6dgX0EYYAuc03BRhAVRIhIfHDzoCUBli6PTNKN5sQ_y4_oRzkTgcnqnMV68YBEyMOtM1OpszJLRZzXGva4_ljAVpmjzEHy3zSk.YtNhDAbU60Kt7RfNBaWVmRntV0dbFl0dgcMYDS3Zvs4&dib_tag=se&keywords=pd+usb+c+dc+socket&qid=1757157127&sprefix=pd+usb+c+dc+soc,aps,678&sr=8-21&xpid=bmvDy5h0Rd5ms&th=1 It gives 55W through the PD socket, if you are feeding it with 24v power. Works well with Starlink Mini.

If you don't mind a cigar lighter socket one, you can get them up to 100W.

I use this one with my minicomputer: Thlevel USB C Car Charger Socket 45W PD & 18W QC3.0 Fast Charge Power Waterproof with LED Digital Voltmeter and Switch for 12V 24V Marine Boat Motorcycle Truck: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo.

45 watts and works well.

 

[mjcp]

I've had a lot of trouble with the smaller USB-C PD hard-wired power supplies. I run several devices on my boat from these, including my fixed installed minicomputer I use for navigation. There are plenty of high powered PD supplies which use a cigar lighter socket but they are hard to find for fixed installation. I'm using this one with Starlink: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thlevel-Charging-Socket-Charger-Motorcycle-Blue/dp/B0CB5XMKVH?crid=37IVQ57OQLS4A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.lsfPQY6EiKglBGh_Uy13hnmKAdXW1u_8Db2fBqVYlo3lfIN9l9tpYxvmUaxTi0vUVfV0m76TU6dgX0EYYAuc03BRhAVRIhIfHDzoCUBli6PTNKN5sQ_y4_oRzkTgcnqnMV68YBEyMOtM1OpszJLRZzXGva4_ljAVpmjzEHy3zSk.YtNhDAbU60Kt7RfNBaWVmRntV0dbFl0dgcMYDS3Zvs4&dib_tag=se&keywords=pd+usb+c+dc+socket&qid=1757157127&sprefix=pd+usb+c+dc+soc,aps,678&sr=8-21&xpid=bmvDy5h0Rd5ms&th=1 It gives 55W through the PD socket, if you are feeding it with 24v power. Works well with Starlink Mini.

If you don't mind a cigar lighter socket one, you can get them up to 100W.

I use this one with my minicomputer: Thlevel USB C Car Charger Socket 45W PD & 18W QC3.0 Fast Charge Power Waterproof with LED Digital Voltmeter and Switch for 12V 24V Marine Boat Motorcycle Truck: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo.

45 watts and works well.

Your experience contradicts the listing

"PD Port Maximum power: 27W (12V), 55W (24V), QC3.0 Port Maximum Power: 36W"

(I'm on 12V, you may have 24V?)

M

 

[ashtead]

I recently read the uk 12 mile limit has been reduced to 6miles by Starlink so in effect our coastal area has been reduced ? Am I misunderstanding though ?

 

[lustyd]

I recently read the uk 12 mile limit has been reduced to 6miles by Starlink so in effect our coastal area has been reduced ? Am I misunderstanding though ?

I very much doubt that's true. People say all sorts of nonsense about Starlink and it's rarely true. The 12 mile limit is an international agreement and is the limit of legal jurisdiction, hence the limit of where Starlink operate "within the country". The UK coast is odd in places so perhaps between UK and Ireland it is less than 12 miles in places. In my experience it's exactly on the line on the chart.

 

[Dockhead]

Your experience contradicts the listing

"PD Port Maximum power: 27W (12V), 55W (24V), QC3.0 Port Maximum Power: 36W"

(I'm on 12V, you may have 24V?)

M

Yes, 24v here.

And, my post said: "It gives 55W through the PD socket, if you are feeding it with 24v power."