SpaceX’s Starlink is going portable for an additional cost.
As first reported by The Verge, navigating to Starlink’s customer support FAQ page shows new information about its ‘Portability Feature‘ that allows users to take their Starlink dish (receiver) anywhere in their home continent, and gain access to high-speed internet. This is a boon for RV dwellers and those who regularly go camping.
I’m camping at a remote state park this week with no cell reception. None of my hotspots work (Verizon, AT&T, T-mobile). So set up Starlink and like magic – high speed internet(!). Starlink is changing the game. @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/sfs9ANNIt3
— Dave Lee (@heydave7) May 3, 2022
The feature, which costs an additional $25 (roughly $30 CAD), will only work in places with active Starlink coverage, which you can check on the company’s availability map. Additionally, the service won’t work if you’re trying to access the internet in a moving vehicle, though when stationary, it will work just like it would at home. “Using the Starlink Kit in motion will void the limited warranty of your Kit,” reads the FAQ page. The company says that it is working on making Starlink connectivity possible while in a moving vehicle, but it hasn’t figured out a safe enough way to do so.
Starlink customers can activate the ‘Portability Feature‘ from their account page, and it takes effect immediately.
In other Starlink-related news, the satellite internet provider will soon provide in-flight internet for Hawaiian Airlines’ trans-pacific fleet.
Image credit: Mobile Internet Resource Center
