Bit late on the news towards starlink but it is now deploying

[WAI4WD]

Here is a good review in Australia across different weather conditions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLQsSM2Kpd0

He got 30ms ping, which is pretty amazing. Again, many factors. My unit has not arrived yet, I only just ordered it. An associate of ours has it, who lives rural, so I do know someone with it and have used it at their rural location, and it works as advertised per reviews I've watched on Youtube.

The RV service is different than the fixed service, because the RV interrupts fixed service connections by entering their zone and stealing some of their bandwidth, hence the RV service will connect, but MAY get limited a little compared to fixed systems, to ensure you don't screw with those fixed systems, ie. too many RV connections in a location already assigned as FULL, so each RV connection in that area will be speed limited whilst in that area if fixed service is using the system.

My understanding that priority is given to fixed systems, then left over shared to RV systems entering any given area. But with RV you WILL get internet in any area covered by starlink, where moving address with the fixed system as people are doing now, you do not get internet in many areas marked as full.

[yvesjv]

Followed that link and found they have two 100gbps services going through the Sydney internet exchange.
That is on a par with some of the big players like Netflix for example.
I think the ip address range to allocate to Oz users will not be that big... first come, best dressed 

[WAI4WD]

I would expect the old random IP assignment with every connection. Shocked why they're not using IPv6 out of the gate.

[WAI4WD]

They sent my RV kit earlier this week, got it in 2 days. As per the terms, you get up to the first 5 days from shipping to use it until your billing cycle begins, mine is the 22nd of each month. Obviously this must vary based on every user. Hell of a billing system they have going there.

The moment they assign it to your account, the RV one this is, you can go in and pause the service. I wanted to see if it got here within 5 days to test, and so I just did that. Went down the end of the street with the wagon, using its 400W Enerdrive inverter, starlink RV ran from that with no issues. I didn't expect it to draw much, but the satellite motor was the unknown for me. But that seems to be pretty low power too.

Being in Melbourne, obstructions everywhere, the end of my street is covered with trees, so I setup there to see how it would go. The sat settled pointing through the gum trees and still gave respectable speeds (60 / 5) or so down/up on mobile, with obstructions (limiting factor seems to be mobile to router connection). I wanted to see how it would go with obstructions because chances are, trees will always be an issue for us when camping.

It got up to 200+ down through the trees, but still only 5 or less up via the trees. Obviously not ideal with satellite positioning, but realistic for my use. Had some varying speeds through the trees, but internet.

Happy days. Clear positions are only going to be better, so i can live with that. Pausing the service automatically sets it to disable at your next billing date. You need mobile reception to activate again, well, I haven't tried remote yet without service, so not sure if starlink will allow you account access. Based on everything I've watched to date, it does not allow this via its service like an ISP does via router. You have to activate from paused before use.

[yvesjv]

Thanks for the update.
Is there a workaround for when there is no mobile reception?
And authentication/authorisation into the network is interesting too, perhaps that happens without mobile reception.

[WAI4WD]

There does not seem to be a workaround, you either head off with an active account or you run the risk.

I guess its really just a decision prior to leaving if you have it in a paused state. Are you going to use your starlink in a remote area? If you got somewhere that had internet, but poor, and want to use your starlink, you would just access your account with the poor internet to active your account again.

Authentication seems to be based on your kit number and router more specifically. You can change your dish, but your router is the authenticator.

Its really only applicable to the RV system, as no other system has the pause function, you have to turn on RV to get it if using a normal home dish as an RV one. You can enable RV mode (and cost) on a fixed based dish and use it to travel, but you can't use an RV dish and convert it to fixed address.

Fixed address get priority service over RV. You will get internet, but not as good as what fixed reviews may provide you, depending on where you are using it. You also cannot use it in motion, big no no apparently, and terms for them to disconnect your access.

[WAI4WD]

Oh, found the wattage use too in the FAQ, 75W max for the rectangular dish (home and RV). The business kit can draw up to 300W.

[yvesjv]

That could be problematic, we have staff that drives into really remote areas and we are all waiting to see what happens for the deployment in the NT.
If they cannot unpack the gear and connect on the go when they reach the remote site(s) that could be interesting...

For power, there are a few battery options and small portable generators available...win!

Edit: Did a google search and appears you must have the app on a mobile device to auth when remote. See these youtube bloggers that talks too much: https://youtu.be/fi2NNmoAZxw?t=415

[WAI4WD]

If they cannot unpack the gear and connect on the go when they reach the remote site(s) that could be interesting...

Well, yer they can. You just don't pause the service in your account and you can set it up anywhere there is service, any time, and it will connect automatically, no mobile phone reception needed.

Don't confuse the RV service with the residential one, where people on Youtube have to find a new address to use before they move, etc. RV is just setup and internet, you just have to have active billing.

You only need mobile service or some internet service somehow to take your account out of pause, IF you have taken a paused service with you and decide you want to use the service once remote.

Prior preparation and all fixes the problem.

If staff are driving to remote locations and you know and plan they will be using Starlink, then the service should be active before leaving any telecommunications behind.

If you travel monthly and use your Starlink RV, then there is no reason to ever pause the service, you just pay the monthly bill and you have anywhere access, any time, no account access needed.

Go remote, setup Starlink, have internet in under a minute.

If I was travelling outback with my Starlink RV, I would already have the account active (out of pause) before I left, because it is reasonable that there will be limited telecommunications available to me.

[yvesjv]

Nice.
Vic is seriously saturated with 3G, not sure where you will test.
I recommend testing it at this location, been there and highly recommend due to total lack of reception.
Starlink map shows it is very close to the border of the coverage area.
Google map coordinates: -26.42055629776289, 135.5029096510206

[WAI4WD]

Vic is seriously saturated with 3G, not sure where you will test.

Not sure what you're asking here. Maybe I'm not explaining the process clearly, so I will try.

You order your starlink.
It ships on x date.
Your account is automatically active.
You now have 5 days before monthly billing begins for RV (your unique billing date)
If you receive your dish in that 5 days, you have free use to setup and play with it before billing date.
You put the starlink app on your phone / ipad / android device.
Beyond that, you do not need cellular coverage.
Plug-in starlink and connect your device to the router (wi-fi)
For fast setup, use your device to scan sky for obstructions.
Your device feeds this to starlink router and away it goes - internet.

At no stage do you need cellular. I turned my cellular off when testing all this, there is no need to find a place without it, just turn it off for testing. Done that myself to confirm.

During first setup you choose to link your starlink app to your online account for easy access. Your starlink router is already pre-linked to your account, so the moment the dish connects, at a guess, it authenticates based on the router assigned to your account and whether your account is active or paused (RV only accounts).

If you don't use your starlink monthly, you can pause your RV account to stop further billing. If you pause your account you still have starlink access until your billing date, at which time it will cut-off until you activate your account again.

Once in a new billing month at pause, you don't pay anything. If you plan on taking starlink away and use it, then before you leave you would activate your account online. If you forgot, or if you only want to activate it when absolutely needed, then you just need cellular data or internet somewhere to quickly activate your account (unpause it) so you can use it immediately (last town you go through or such).

If you want to have starlink RV, but don't plan on using it for months, you can pause your account the moment starlink assign your unit to your account, which will be at date of shipping. You can enter your account then and there and pause it, so you purchased the equipment but will not be billed anything until you want to use it, by activating your service again.

My advice is simply to do your first setup before you go remote, somewhere with cellular / internet to ensure everything is linked and working correctly before you go remote. Once that first setup is done, as above, travel and use with an active billing account.

Billing is based on your unique date based on 5 days after it ships to you for RV. Home starlink is 14 days based on the FAQ's.

You can read about billing and portability here: https://support.starlink.com/topic?category=1

If you planned on using starlink at home as your internet, but wanted to take it away with you, you would buy the home starlink, as you can enable / disable portability as you want, just paying an extra fee for portability, but you cannot pause a home starlink EVER. You cannot change RV service back to home service if that is how you ordered. Well, not at this time. Adding portability to home and ordering RV are two different things. RV you can pause all billing, home (fixed residential) you can not pause.

Did I cover all the points about setup, use and not needing cellular at all?

[WAI4WD]

Oh, and I purchased a Pelican 1610 case with pick and pluck foam, which houses all the components safely for our travel. For my use, it is water and dust proof, making it perfect for offroad use.

Starlink do have a backpack case for the rectangular set, but it was only a beta release to specific people (sold out) and they told me via ticket they plan to have it available again maybe later this year in the shop. There are cases for it that cost more than the unit.

[yvesjv]

If you planned on using starlink at home as your internet, but wanted to take it away with you, you would buy the home starlink, as you can enable / disable portability as you want, just paying an extra fee for portability, but you cannot pause a home starlink EVER. You cannot change RV service back to home service if that is how you ordered. Well, not at this time. Adding portability to home and ordering RV are two different things. RV you can pause all billing, home (fixed residential) you can not pause.

Yeah that was a nice and informative spread and really a good one towards when it is deployed over the Far North.
Thanks for that.

[yvesjv]

And it is arriving to the Far North
Last update is 2023 Q1

I can feel the stampede starting already.

[WAI4WD]

And it is arriving to the Far North
Last update is 2023 Q1

I can feel the stampede starting already.

WOW. That is awesome. We'll start travelling North of the current reception zones 2024, so fits perfectly for us. Just used it for our week away in the Strathbogies, and it was super awesome. The missus ate a little humble pie on why I purchased that for her, after getting there and not having remotely decent internet. It was ADSL (5/0.5Mbps) at best. Rolled out the cable and off she went, one very happy wife.