What is Starlink Mobile/Mobility? Explained!

Josh Wakata

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Everything about Starlink Mobile/Mobility

The internet has made the lives of many people easy, and considering the many advantages of it, many people want the internet on the go. Since its release in 2019, SpaceX’s Starlink has garnered attention and continues to do the same. The lineup of the provider has witnessed a lot of changes for good. The newest option for users to offer smooth and seamless internet anywhere on the go is Starlink Mobile/Mobility. 

Starlink Mobile bears a lot of resemblance to other Starlink offerings. Want to learn more about this service? Read this article till the end to find out. 

What is Starlink Mobile/Mobility? 

Starlink Mobility is the newest offering of Starlink. It is more of a rebranding of the provider’s in-motion, high-priority data service that aims to offer you a seamless internet experience anywhere on the go. The plan uses Flat High-Performance hardware, designed to be mounted on the vehicle. It can be used when it is in motion. The intention behind releasing this service is to make the Starlink mobile plan ideal for emergency responses, especially when the user is traveling through any transportation. The service draws a lot of similarities with its existing plans – Starlink Roam and Starlink Maritime. 

Starlink Mobility offers a lot to the users. For instance, if you are looking for great-speed internet while on the go, you can make the most of its service as it offers up to 220 mbps download and 25 mbps upload speeds, both of which are superior compared to cable. It is impressive not only for satellites but for in-motion satellites to boot too. 

Besides this, Starlink Mobile is considered a priority service to the service provider. It means that the users who utilize this plan will get priority during times of increased network demand. This setup of Starlink makes it preferred for the types of use cases it is promoted for, as you do not have to worry about a slowdown in the internet. 

What are the Benefits of Starlink Mobile/Mobility? 

Ever since its introduction, this service of Starlink has received quite a buzz. Here are the benefits that you may reap from its subscription. 

  • Starlink Mobile/Mobility works with the provider’s Flat High-Performance hardware to offer in-motion connectivity around the globe. It includes a wide field of view and enhanced GPS capabilities to connect to more satellites. The hardware is designed for permanent installation on your vehicle, making it ideal for mobile businesses and public sector use cases, including buses, shuttles, trucking, and emergency response. 
  • Starlink Mobility plans offer the highest priority in the network. It means your connectivity will be prioritized even in times of network congestion. 
  • The kit is easy to get online. It comes with all essential hardware for permanent installation on the vehicles.
  • Starlink Mobility offers 100 percent coverage in your country and every country where the service is available across the globe. Some plans can also be used on the ocean, with connectivity available in the vast majority of Earth’s seas and oceans. 
  • The service is rugged enough to withstand all kinds of rocket landings. Besides this, it can hold up against extreme cold, heat, sleet, hail, heavy rain, and gale-force winds. At present, Starlink is being utilized to get high-quality video of the SpaceX rocket landings at the sea. 
  • This plan offers the ability to pause and un-pause the service at any time. Yes, you heard it right. Starlink Mobility plan is billed in one-month increments, letting users customize their service to individual needs. 
  • Whether you are operating 10 or 100 vehicles, Starlink Mobility enables remote monitoring and management of your fleet from a single portal. 
  • Starlink Mobility aims to protect your data and the confidentiality of user traffic by implementing end-to-end encryption. 

Starlink Mobility/Mobile Recommended Hardware

The service provider recommends that subscribers on the Mobile Priority plan purchase the Flat High-Performance dish. The dish is pricey, costing $2,500 compared to the Standard antenna. But the increasing price has its own perks. It offers: 

  • A wider field of view allows the antenna to connect to more satellites while keeping downtime low. 
  • Enhanced GPS capabilities. 
  • Greater durability against natural forces. 

The antenna includes a router and power cables. The customers also receive a power supply station and mounting gear for the router and power supply. The High-Performance dish consumes more power than its standard counterpart.  

What is the Cost of Starlink Mobility/Mobile? 

Owing to Starlink Mobile, you can access high-speed internet while traveling from one corner to another. But it does come with a cost. 

Starlink Mobility is an expensive plan. The least expensive plan starts at $250 per month, which offers you priority data up to 50GB, enough for light occasional use. However, this plan may not be enough for many users who live on the internet. Therefore, Starlink has offered another mobility plan too. The plans do offer unlimited standard data; however, some of them do not carry any priority status, making them potentially unsuitable for emergencies. 

Here’s everything about the Starlink mobility plans: 

  • Besides the staggering monthly costs, you can opt for a straightforward, one-time equipment fee of $2,500. 
  • You can make the most of mobile priority plans of 50GB at $250 per month. 
  • If you want to opt for a more suitable internet plan to serve your daily surfing needs, you can look for a 1TB plan for $1,000 per month. 
  • Starlink Mobility offers another expensive plan of 5TB for $5,000 per month. 

As these plans are expensive, they are out of reach for many users. Even if you want to opt for the least expensive plan, it might cost you much compared to other internet services. But the speed that this internet service offers is unmatchable. 

Why is Starlink Mobility More Expensive Than its Competitors? 

Starlink Mobile is unarguably one of the most expensive internet services. However, it is unfair to compare it with other mobile internet services as they don’t really match the kind of performance that the former delivers to its users. Starlink mobile internet is an in-motion service, and only cellular internet, such as 5G is available as an in-motion option for consumers at present. 

As Starlink Mobile is a satellite internet, the coverage is wider and better than the latter, with no need to worry about its proximity to cell towers. Starlink is quite fast for satellite internet that can open it up to applications that otherwise might not be available, rapid communications, video conferencing and streaming live videos. 

At the end of the day, if you want to opt for in-motion capability and speed juxtaposed with the exceptional coverage of satellite service, the Starlink Mobility service will be worth all the money, and you will not regret opting for the plan. 

Who is Starlink Mobile/Mobility Suitable for? 

The providers have marketed Starlink Mobility specifically towards mission-critical use cases in the field, like emergency response and communication with public transportation. This service is also geared towards mobile business use. But if you have enough money to experience it, you can opt for it for any in-use application, such as campers or RVs. 

If you do not consume the internet while in motion or don’t want the extreme coverage satellite, it certainly makes more sense to opt for either another satellite plan or a mobile hotspot plan.  

Starlink Mobile/Mobility and Starlink Roam – A Comparison

As stated, the existing plan is very similar to the other services that Starlink has to offer to the users. People living on boats subscribed to Starlink’s Roam plan for a long time, even though they were technically violating the Terms of Service of the firm. However, in early May 2023, the service provider started reigning in on the parade, requesting users to switch to the Mobile Priority plan to purchase Priority data while out in the open waters. 

Here’s the comparison between the two: 

FeaturesMobile/MobilityRoam
Download Speed40 Mbps – 220 Mbps5 Mbps – 50 Mbps
Upload Speed2 Mbps – 10 Mbps8 Mbps – 25 Mbps
Latency<99 ms<99 ms
Pricing Subscription (US)50 GB: $250
1 TB: $1,000
5 TB: $5,000
Regional: $150
Global: $200
Recommended HardwareFlat High Performance DishyStandard Dishy
Pricing Hardware$2,500$599
PrioritizationPriority Access DataBasic Access Data
AvailabilityWorldwideRegional: in registered country
Global: Worldwide
In-Motion UsageAllowedNot Allowed (if using Standard dishy)

Takeaway 

The newest satellite offering of Starlink promises to help power your on-the-move internet requirements. The data allotment, speed, and the ability to use the internet anywhere are the major plus points. The only drawback of this service is its expensive plans, which put it out of the league of a majority of users. That said, if you want to splurge and enjoy the perks of Starlink Mobility, check out its subscription plans. 

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