Starlink Anarchy

[toddster]

Watched a high-def movie last night and had to pause two or three times to let it buffer. The app indicated that once there was a 20 second loss of signal, but claims there were no network issues the other times. (This sometimes happens with the local ISP too.)
I think I fell asleep near the end of the movie - can’t remember how it turned out. But I suspect that Bond shot up all the bad guys and the girl died tragically in his arms. The usual.

 

[Grrr...]

I've been using it non stop for the house for over a week. Speeds are much like you said toddster. Though mine seems to run between 15 to 30 most of the time.

Starlink is struggling for bandwidth. This is evidenced by worldwide combined speed tests steadily dropping. A year ago they were near 100 but now they average below 80. They are not launching a significant number of new satellites, and the new V2 satellites cannot be launched without a new launch vehicle that isn't currently in service.

Starlink just went for a new round of capital, and the "RV" launch was timed to increase their subscriber numbers just in time for that.

 

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[Grrr...]

After talking with starlink tech support, the above disconnects are normal, but they will make it difficult if you want to maintain video calls or voip calls. Things that buffer like video are OK.

 

[SASSAFRASS]

I cancelled my deposit, we have Google FI and they just upped our plan per line same price from 20gig high speed to 50gig. So far between two lines that is meeting all our needs plus some to spare with a few days working at home.

 

[Grrr...]

Many people don't realize that you can plug your phone into your computer via USB cable (called tethering) and use an app (pdanet) to get unlimited internet on nearly any phone plan.

 

[ProaSailor]

Many people don't realize that you can plug your phone into your computer via USB cable (called tethering) and use an app (pdanet) to get unlimited internet on nearly any phone plan.

I've used Android built-in tethering for many years, no need for pdanet or any other app on the phone, no need to install a Windows app. Android can also be configured as a wi-fi hot spot for access from other devices. However, my Verizon cell plan limits data usage and charges more if I exceed the limit I'm paying for. I seriously doubt pdanet or any other app gets around that, so "unlimited internet" doesn't sound right?

 

[toddster]

I've used my cell phone as a "hot spot" for years, when the local ISP was down. You can get a little work done for a day, but beyond that the charges start building up.
Also lots of places that the cell network doesn't reach.

 

[SASSAFRASS]

Can't comment on the others but FI is unlimited, the catch being high speed is only good up X gigs. After that you get throttled speed. Have had the service for quite awhile in alot of countries has worked well.

 

[ProaSailor]

Can't comment on the others but FI is unlimited, the catch being high speed is only good up X gigs. After that you get throttled speed. Have had the service for quite awhile in alot of countries has worked well.

What is "FI"? (why be so cryptic?) Again, it certainly is not "unlimited" if it's "only good up [to] X gigs", same as Verizon.

 

[Elegua]

Can't comment on the others but FI is unlimited, the catch being high speed is only good up X gigs. After that you get throttled speed. Have had the service for quite awhile in alot of countries has worked well.

I've been reading they turn off your service if you're OUS too long. Any truth to that?

 

[SASSAFRASS]

They never did for us but it was pandemic and I heard they lifted most of the rules. Have heard lots of stories of people getting shut off. I never did a speed test after the Gig cap not sure what it is after. It worked fine for everything other than streaming video though.

 

[ProaSailor]

I've been reading they turn off your service if you're OUS too long. Any truth to that?

"OUS"? "FI"? If you two want to exchange cryptic gibberish without enlightening the rest of us, maybe you ought to get a room.

 

[Elegua]

They never did for us but it was pandemic and I heard they lifted most of the rules. Have heard lots of stories of people getting shut off. I never did a speed test after the Gig cap not sure what it is after. It worked fine for everything other than streaming video though.

Thanks. I’m trying to figure out what to do with our US phone service. US service plus local service plus sat phone adds up.

 

[neilsf]

"OUS"? "FI"? If you two want to exchange cryptic gibberish without enlightening the rest of us, maybe you ought to get a room.

Hi all, I registered to respond to this post.

I am a tech professional, and have both T-Mobile and GoogleFi service, and am on the waitlist for a Starlink device.

Google has its own mobile phone service called GoogleFi (fi.google.com). It started life as an internal skunkworks project ("Project Fi" -- as in Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum -- the little consumer taking on the giant telecom industry). This service is an aggregator MVNO (mobile virtual network operator). Rather than own the towers and cables and backend phone service (like Verizon or T-Mobile), GoogleFi buys large swaths of wholesale voice and data access from existing mobile phone operators and re-sells it as their own service. Google themselves handle customer service via the web or an app.

Because they don't own their networks, GoogleFi can 'aggregate' service. For instance, in the US, GoogleFi largely mirrors available T-Mobile coverage. In places where T-Mobile coverage is spotty, GoogleFi *also* works with US Cellular. As a GoogleFi customer, your service switches over to ensure you get the best coverage. Neat.

Downside: because they don't own their own network, GoogleFi customers are lower priority for high speed data and phone calls when there is extreme network congestion.

Upside: GoogleFi has entered into agreements with many mobile phone operators worldwide, offering seamless "like home" coverage, so no matter where you are, your phone works.

In my experience, GoogleFi service works better in spotty areas in the US, and while traveling internationally, I get better reception, service, and data than if I had used my T-Mobile service. However, for long international stays, nothing beats obtaining a local SIM card for a local mobile carrier.


OUS refers to being out of country. Most US carriers that offer "unlimited" international data and SMS services actually *do* have limits, in the fine print. I have experienced this first-hand. I was out of the country long enough on T-Mobile that over 50% of my data use for that billing month was occurring out of the US. That exceeds the 'fine print allowance', so I was getting SMS warnings from T-Mobile that I was exceeding the limit. Similar limitations exist with most carriers around the world; when you 'roam' on other carriers, your home carrier pays the roaming partner for your connection. If you roam too much or for too long, you cost your home operator more than you're paying them. That's where you run the risk of your service being blocked or in very extreme cases you losing your account altogether.

Of the major operators in the US, I'd say GoogleFi is the most 'forgiving' of them in terms of OUS overruns. But eventually they will find you.

Starlink *kind* of works similarly, where they want the home dish to sit someplace known to help avoid congestion and other issues. This is why you can't take the dish with you on car trips, on passage, on your RV, etc., without paying for it. $25 a month for this 'mobile convenience' isn't terrible. I agree that eventually Starlink will reach some kind of system capacity issue but for now I'm pretty sure they are still working out the kinks in the system. One of those kinks is deployed capacity, which the v2 satellites will solve, but because v2 sats are heavier, they require a launch vehicle with much larger payload lift. They also have to get approval from a variety of government agencies for v2, which aren't quite as forthcoming this time around, and Starlink's competitors (ala HughesNet, among others) are kicking up a giant fuss with the US FCC over every kitchen sink they can think of. As a result, Starlink v2 is several years out from being deployed, and in the interim, it's likely Starlink itself will feel the pinch of capacity issues.

I hope this helps! Nice to be here.

 

[Grrr...]

I've used Android built-in tethering for many years, no need for pdanet or any other app on the phone, no need to install a Windows app. Android can also be configured as a wi-fi hot spot for access from other devices. However, my Verizon cell plan limits data usage and charges more if I exceed the limit I'm paying for. I seriously doubt pdanet or any other app gets around that, so "unlimited internet" doesn't sound right?

Have you ever wondered how it is that phone companies can tell you 'unlimited phone data', but then limit your hotspot?

It's actually pretty simple. They use a couple values specific to android on a cell phone, and anything that isn't those values is considered 'outside' your cell phone and they bin against your data.

Pdanet modifies those values so anything connected via the tether appears to be the phone itself. So you're using your 'unlimited' phone data.

I've been using it for more than a decade to get internet at my rural address.

 

[Grrr...]

Thanks. I’m trying to figure out what to do with our US phone service. US service plus local service plus sat phone adds up.

Can you be a little more clear here on what you are after?

I no longer have local service, I use OOMA as a 'in house' phone - it's a voip service and you only have to plug it into internet and it works. You only pay taxes on it ($3-4 a month). I use google voice as the actual phone number, and have that ring my ooma, my cell phones, and any other phone a I want simultaneously when someone calls.

 

[Elegua]

Can you be a little more clear here on what you are after?

I no longer have local service, I use OOMA as a 'in house' phone - it's a voip service and you only have to plug it into internet and it works. You only pay taxes on it ($3-4 a month). I use google voice as the actual phone number, and have that ring my ooma, my cell phones, and any other phone a I want simultaneously when someone calls.

What is local service? Is that a landline to your house? I haven't had one of those for 20 years.

The question is what cellphone service to retain when I go cruising starting this Summer. Originally I was thinking of moving to Google Fi but I heard a lot of chatter about disconnections for being offshore a while.

Thanks for the lead on OOMA. Seems a bit more sophisticated than say Magic Jack.