Starlink users can now take their terminal on the road
Folks who enjoy camping or weekend trips in an RV now have another way to access the internet when they set up shop for the night — as long as they don’t mind lugging around hardware and paying $135 per month. A new feature allows users to temporarily use Starlink when they’re away from home.
In the US, Portability costs $25 per month. That’s on top of the regular service fee, which recently bumped up . The hardware now costs $599 for those without a preorder.
Beyond the cost, there are a few other limits to Portability. For instance, it’s not worth taking a terminal with you on a transatlantic trip. Starlink says the feature is only available when users are on the same continent as their registered service address. If you use Starlink in another country for longer than two months, you’ll need to change the registered address to one in that jurisdiction.
Starlink still doesn’t support in-motion use as yet either, so you’ll need to find a stationary spot that’s and has a clear view of the sky. Meanwhile, it says Portability is offered on a “best effort basis.” Customers who are at their registered service address will receive priority access to the network. “When you bring your Starlink to a new location, this prioritization may result in degraded service, particularly at times of peak usage or network congestion,” Starlink .
That said, the feature could give users much more flexibility. Starlink can provide internet access in areas that aren’t covered by cell towers, which could make Portability particularly useful for digital nomads who want to work from just about anywhere.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
