Flat High Performance Starlink: Internet Just About Anywhere, Including Moving Vehicles
Digital nomads, it might be time for an upgrade. Starlink just announced a new piece of tech designed to access high-speed, low-latency internet while you’re traveling. The hardware is called Flat High Performance Starlink, and it utilizes the Starlink for RV service.
It interfaces with a new piece of Starlink gear called Flat High Performance. The new hardware is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: a flat, more rugged version of the Standard Starlink satellite dish. The new design allows for permanent mounting on a vehicle and is purpose-built for use while in motion.
Enjoy high-speed, low-latency internet while on the move! Now accepting orders for the flat high-performance Starlink, which provides connectivity while in motion on land → https://t.co/tWDPs3JDWK pic.twitter.com/z2HNxaizdW
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 25, 2022
Flat High Performance Starlink
Here’s the breakdown.
According to Starlink, Flat High Performance offers a wider field of view and enhanced GPS capabilities over the standard model. It is also bomber enough to stand up to the kind of environments you are likely to drag your van or RV trailer through. The new technology ships with a mounting kit that users must utilize or risk voiding their warranty.
The Flat High Performance Starlink hardware will cost you $2,500 — plus $50 in shipping and handling fees. That is considerably more than the standard Starlink for RV equipment, which costs $599.
Users of Starlink for RV will be familiar with the $135 per month internet connection fee. But, Flat High Performance Starlink will offer the ability to pause and unpause service as needed — a handy feature for those that aren’t traveling full-time.
Best Effort Service
The downside: Starlink will utilize something it calls “Best Effort Service” to prioritize who is getting the fastest internet, and when.
According to the company, “network resources are always de-prioritized for Starlink for RV users compared to other Starlink services, resulting in degraded service and slower speeds in congested areas and during peak hours.”
Service will be slowest during peak hours in the “Waitlist” areas of Starlink’s coverage. Prospective users can view a coverage map on Starlink’s website. For now, Flat High Performance Starlink service is limited to users residing in the U.S.
This service prioritization mimics how the Residential Starlink + Portability service currently works, with users receiving priority service at their home address but degraded service in waitlist areas while traveling.
Internet While in Motion
The upshot to all this? Internet while in motion has the potential to be a game-changer for digital nomads, especially for couples or other teams where one person works while the other drives. But you’ll have to pay attention to where and when you are on the move.
Maybe don’t expect to be uploading huge video files to the cloud while cruising down the highway.
Flat High Performance Starlink hardware is available for purchase now, with shipments expected in December.
