Time to get aboard the Starlink rocket?

For the past decade or so, the best deal in mobile Internet for most RV travelers was to get a "hotspot" from one of the major cell phone companies—or just use their own phone as a hotspot.

Cell service in the 48 lower states has gotten reasonably good in well-traveled areas, and at a cost as low as $10-20 per month for a hotspot (added to an existing phone plan), the price has been right.

But SpaceX's Starlink service is challenging all that, especially with the recent introduction of Starlink Mini to the US. The "standard" Starlink was already very good, offering fast and reliable Internet connections in places where cell service is only wishful thinking—and the new "Mini" service is even better, especially in one very important aspect that we'll get into later.

Why You Might Want Starlink

Let's look at what Starlink is good at doing, and what it's not.

Starlink relies on low-orbiting satellites, not ground-based towers, and they have a lot of them—over 6,000 as of July 2024—so if you're in North America, you've got coverage.* That's a huge advantage over cellular, which is spotty in many places and non-existent in many of the best camping spots in the west.

* There are couple of spots where service isn't available, mainly around the Very Large Array in central New Mexico, and the National Radio Quiet Zone in Virginia/West Virginia).

Historically Starlink has allowed unlimited data, which is great for people who want to do video calls or watch Netflix. Again, that's a giant leap ahead compared to cellular, which typically has relatively low data caps each month (at which point you have to pay more or get throttled to a cripplingly slow speed).

Starlink is also much faster than cellular, generally. You might get good enough cell service in some locations to stream a movie, but it's more the exception than the rule when camping. Starlink can stream a movie in High Definition, or connect you to real-time gaming without breaking a sweat.

Finally, Starlink doesn't lock you into a contract, so you can turn the service on for a month and then turn it off to save money when you're not using it.

Why You Might Not Want Starlink

That's the good part. The less-good part is that Starlink has limitations, mostly around weather and obstructions. The rectangular receiver has to be placed somewhere with a clear view of the sky, as shown. 

Well, we all know campgrounds often have trees, so there might be times where you just can't get a good position for your Starlink. A pole or tripod to get the receiver higher is a big help, and from walking around campgrounds I know that many people eventually rig something up to accomplish that.

Another barrier is that Starlink Standard has historically been expensive for RVers at $150 per month. That's not absolutely insane pricing, but definitely enough to make you think twice before buying the hardware (which costs $499).

The biggest problem for many people is the power consumption of Starlink Standard.

The receiver and power adapter suck up about 50-75 watts when in operation, which is a lot when you're talking about a device that is left on for long periods of time.

In boondocking situations I've watched people drain their factory-installed pair of lead-acid batteries in less than a day because they left the Starlink running full time and didn't realize how much power it consumes.

With Starlink Standard, you need to either:

• be plugged in
• have great solar and/or large battery capacity
• run a generator for hours
• be very selective about when you turn the system on

... or face the consequences in a day or two. 

Enter The Mini

The new Starlink Mini changes the equation quite a bit. Sure, it's smaller (10.2" x 11.75" compared to about 15" x 23") but that's not what RVers are going to care about. It's really about the power consumption, cost, and convenience of installation.

First, Starlink Mini uses about half the power of the Standard version (25-40 watts). That's a huge shift in the right direction. That power requirement is low enough that you now have the option of powering your Starlink Mini through a USB-C cable, instead of being forced to turn on an inverter and plug in an AC adapter. You can even use a portable battery pack (no inverter needed).

Cost-wise, it's also a winner. Unless you're a major data user (perhaps a digital nomad), the "Mini Roam" data plan will be your choice at $50 per month. That's a $100 per month savings compared to the cheapest plan available for Standard customers.

Despite its lower monthly cost, Mini is still formidable. You can to use up to 50 GB per month, with speeds up to 100 MB/sec. That's enough to watch about 20 hours of streaming video in High Definition, and you can stretch your data allowance much further if you watch in Standard Definition. If you need unlimited data you can switch to the $150/month plan.

Like other Starlink plans, you can buy service one month at a time and pause it whenever you want.

Even the higher cost of Starlink Mini hardware isn't really a barrier. You'll pay $599 for the Mini hardware compared to a Standard dish at $499, but quickly make it up in the lower monthly cost of the Mini Roam data plan.

Finally, the Mini has an integrated router. This is a big deal, because it means you no longer have to figure out how to run a data cable into the Airstream. Instead, the Mini sits outside and you connect to it via WiFi. 

And if you don't want to even run a power line into the Airstream, you can power the Mini from an external battery pack (as one commenter pointed out below). Much more convenient.

Why Wouldn't You Switch From Cellular?

With the introduction of Starlink Mini and a lower-cost data plan, it's a lot more compelling to ditch the cellular router (hotspot).  But is it enough to make the switch?

Honestly, as much as I like the new technology, I don't plan to get Starlink just yet. Here are a few good reasons not to switch:

1. A cellular router is still cheaper. My Verizon Jetpack, for example, costs just $10 per month added to my existing cellular phone plan. It's cheap enough that I don't have to think about suspending service between trips.
2. A cellular router can be "always on" because it uses very little power. You're not going to drain your Airstream's batteries by using your hotspot too much.
3. There's no setup at the campsite with a cellular router. You just turn it on. With Starlink there's always going to be a few minutes of setup to place the receiver with a view of the sky, or assemble a pole.
4. Routing the Starlink Standard cable to the receiver is often a problem for Airstreamers. For Starlink Standard, the receiver dish has to be outside, and the power adapter and router have to be inside, connected by two cables. I've seen all sorts of creative home-grown solutions to get the cables out of the Airstream without drilling a nasty hole or leaving the door open. (As pointed out earlier, the Mini doesn't have this problem.)

So in my opinion it's not a slam-dunk, not yet at least. For our next big trip (to the International Rally in Missouri this October) we'll be fine with Verizon. If we get into a no-coverage/poor coverage area, I prefer to think of that as a brief enforced vacation from all things digital, and go for a walk instead of sitting in front of a device anyway.

[In-line photos and graphics by SpaceX. Cover image by Rich Luhr.]