The Satellite telecoms industry is beginning to get very interesting. In previous articles, I have reported on innovation in the pipeline including direct access to satellite via mobile phone. Currently, SpaceX is filling the skies with new satellites. So far this year (Aug 2024), SpaceX have launched 50 rockets. 30 of these were dedicated to StarLink satellites. The network now has 5,900 operational satellites orbiting the planet.
I have recently tested the latest Starlink terminal, The Mini. This device will be a game changer in some countries as its service speed and price point will certainly push some of the well-established satellite firms like HughesNet and ViaSat to review their pricing in the USA residential market.
In this article, I will share some insights into how well the mini performs. I also cover a few concerns which are bouncing around in various circles.
The StarLink Mini Hardware
The new Mini terminal is much smaller than the standard terminal. All functions such as Wi-Fi are built in. This is different to previous models where the antenna and router are separated. The Mini is light weight and small which makes it easy to transport in a backpack with a standard size laptop. This makes the Mini a great contender for first responders heading out to a crisis (where Starlink is permitted).
The dish runs on DC power between 12V – 48V. Theoretically the Mini can be run on a car battery, but this is not straight forward! The kit does come with a mains adapter which coverts AV voltage to 30V DC.
So, looking more closely at the DC operation, I failed in running the Mini from 12V directly. The most likely cause is that the StarLink power cable is very long and it’s likely the voltage drop at 12V prevents enough power getting to the dish. 12V is at the lower end of acceptable voltages but for vehicles or boats using 24V DC, there should be no issues at all.
StarLink will soon sell its own 12V DC cable so this issue will go away in due course.
If you need to connect the Mini to a network via cable, it has a built-in ethernet port. This can be very useful in places where the internet connection needs to go through a firewall and bandwidth shaped for office use. This would be the desired set up for a classroom where students would need to be prevented from accessing harmful websites.
StarLink Mini dish tide to the boom of a sailboat.
Set up and Performance
The Mini is easy to set up. In the box, there is a stand which allows the dish to be placed onto a flat surface. There is also an adaptor which allows the disk to be attached to a pipe and elevated to a height where there is a better all-round view of the sky.
The dish needs to be placed outside with a clear view of the sky. Performance will be better with no obstructions. During my tests on a boat there were some masts around the dish, but partial blocking did not seem to impede my connection.
When first powered up, a smartphone with the StarLink app is needed so that the initial set up can be done. This includes setting the password for the wi-fi. Set up takes no more than 5 minutes. From there, each time the dish is powered up, it takes a minute to become operational. It’s just plug and play!
Performance is good. Not as fast as the bigger StarLink units, but for a small team of people it’s good enough. Typical speeds are 50Mb/s down and 10Mb/s up, but I have seen the mini operate at 120Mb down and 30Mb up. Service is dependent on how many people are using the network and the quality of signal from the dish to satellite network.
The Network
Latency is low on the network. In testing 30ms was normal and since StarLink satellites are in low orbit. Typically, 500KM, which significantly less than the 36,000 KM orbits used by the GEO satellites. Latency on a GEOS satellite is normally 600ms which is why people experience a time delay during zoom calls.
Another factor which keeps latency low is the way StarLink connects to the nearest gateway. In the global north, there are many gateways, we have three in the UK. In Africa, I am only aware of the gateway in Nigeria, but more will be added in the future.
Starlink is very proud of its low latency, but I want to add a caveat. Latency will be low in the Global South, but if you are trying to access online services in Europe, there is further latency of up to 150ms due to the distance on terrestrial networks.
What does it cost
StarLink pricing varies from county to country as pricing is pitched to what the local population is likely to afford. In the UK, the Mini terminal costs £399 and £20 to ship. The lowest monthly fee is £50 which includes a 50GB data capacity. Over usage is charged at £1 per GB. For a monthly fee of £85, data is unlimited. (Prices inclusive of UK taxes of 20%)
The £50 and £85 tariffs are classed as regional (see map below). For the system I tested, the £50 account allows me to access internet from any location if I am not on the move or at sea. StarLink has many more options where higher charges apply if global usage is needed, or the service needs to be accessed at sea.
For business use, it’s better to go with a business package as the cheaper options are designed for residential use. For a multi-user office type setting, bandwidth consumption will be higher and likely to trigger the StarLink fair usage policy. Once triggered, service can be throttled back to a snail’s pace. You have been warned!
Concerns
I have been using satellite bases services for more than 30 years. The Satellite industry is professional where they are set up to provide service and make money. It’s that simple and that’s how we in the aid sector have been able to rely on our suppliers to keep connected to the rest of the world.
Whilst Starlink technology is amazing, the CEO of Starlink is not your usual exec! Elon Musk is a strong advocate of free speech and not shy in sharing his own opinions. Over recent years, he has become quite political and has been reported to have strong views on various topics.
In a recent article from the Guardian newspaper in the UK, they shared an allegation that Elon Musk ordered the shutdown of StarLink services in specific location in Ukraine as he did not what his technology used by sea drones to attack ships. Read more via the following link.
Soon after the Gaza conflict started, Musk stated that he intended to provide a StarLink service over the Gaza strip. This resulted in a huge pushback from the Israeli government. For those familiar with the Gaza context, importing technology into Gaza has never been easy. Today we cannot even import a laptop, let alone high-tech comms kit. Israel is concerned that any communications technology may fall into the wrong hands.
There is now a protocol with StarLink where they validate the end user us a NGO and there is a protocol to disable a unit quickly if it moves from site (StarLink has built-in GPS). This is of course purely academic as gatekeepers on the border will stop the tech entering the country.
Dual Use: All forms of communication can be classed as “Dual Use” meaning that the technology is useful for military purposes as well as civil. Aid workers rely on these technologies every day and in the past there has been no problems. Given Musk’s views on world events, in a complex humanitarian context, its essential that organisations have more than one form of technology to communicate. This is my I will always maintain a mixed fleet of technologies in my disaster response inventory.
Technical concern: As a qualified satellite terminal installer, the industry standard training is provided by the Global VSAT Forum (GVF). One of the reasons GVF set up its training programme was to ensure that installers have the skills to align the dish with the correct satellite with precision. Failure to align correctly can cause interference to other satellites.
StarLink terminals do not need to be aligned in the same way. Instead, “phased array” technology is used to steer beam electronically. Whilst this technology makes the terminal easy to use, there are concerns by some satellite experts that signals could cause “off axis” interference as a Starlink satellite passes in front of higher orbiting satellites. Whilst this is a valid concern, no specific research has been conducted in this area.
Conclusion
StarLink is a game changer. With the introduction of the Mini, emergency responders now have access to a very portable and affordable satellite internet connection. From 2003, Inmarsat have been providing a BGAN service. It can be used almost anywhere but a BGAN unit costs over $2,000 and then $4 per Mb for data. BGAN is slower at 350Kb/s.
Taking the concerns about StarLink into account, it will still be my “go to” solution for places it is legal to operate, but I will also retain traditional satellite technologies in my inventory, so we are not reliant on a single solution.