Starlink

[forgeblast]

Just forgot to update everyone we got our starlink in June and had 89mps right out of the box. We have not had any issues and its amazing what good internet can do. Dropped frontier and their 1.5 mps as soon as we could. if you average the difference starlink only cost us about 10$ more then what we were paying to frontier. Install was easy, we have it on the side of our house about 30' off the ground.

 

[newbury]

I wonder where this mythical great Internet Customer service exists?

Surprisingly enough I may have stumbled across it at Tombigbee Fiber. They are our local electric co-op and serve our local area very well. Phone to technical support (5 times for different things) resulted in quick (2 minutes or so) call backs and knowledgeable personnel. I determined I needed a remote access, point they dropped it off in an hour and I'm 20 minutes from their office.
One of my biggest problems with my prior DSL service was "techs" trying to buffalo me and their equipment failing every two years. My BIL who lives in town also had their equipment failing every two years.

 

[Oaktree]

I use my newest PC, hard wire ethernet, for speed tests. i7 processor w/16GB ram. Compared to other devices, it usually gives the fastest results. Maybe due to a better newer ethernet adapter?

Which speed test site (or sites) do you use or prefer?

I noticed a big difference when I got a new (well, new to me) PC a few months ago. I'm sure there was so much background crap running in the old one that it slowed down everything, including internet access.
I've found a huge difference in speeds depending on which speed test I run. Ookla almost always shows a much higher speed than any of the others. I was told that this was because they test to the nearest server to your ISP's head end. Makes sense...once you get beyond your ISP's network all bets are off.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I just got email from Starlink advertising a “best effort” plan, price of home unit but based on availability like the RV unit. They bumped me from mid 2022 to mid 2023.

I just ordered home SL with “best effort” plan, will ship within 2 weeks. So basically the RV plan with a home unit. When it comes I’ll pause my RV unit. When capacity increases it will get upgraded to normal home service.

 

[sodamo]

Will be interesting to follow how that works out, Dennis

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I got the same email for Best Effort. I am torn. I am months away from being able to move ti the new house. Do I buy it now and just float the cost without really using it till we move or do I wait. The email says that I can opt in for the best effort service at any time. But what happens if they get a whole bunch of people who sign up for it and change their policy and close the door on new best effort sales?
I think I am talking myself into making a move now. If we get cleared to move in and there is no viable internet solution available it will impact my job and my wife’s job and my Daughters’s school…..my daughter is moving back home for at least a year to go to school nearby.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I just got email from Starlink advertising a “best effort” plan, price of home unit but based on availability like the RV unit. They bumped me from mid 2022 to mid 2023.

I just ordered home SL with “best effort” plan, will ship within 2 weeks. So basically the RV plan with a home unit. When it comes I’ll pause my RV unit. When capacity increases it will get upgraded to normal home service.

Isn’t the RV service also “best effort”?

 

[plowhog]

Isn’t the RV service also “best effort”?

It is, but also with the "portability option" so you can move it around. Not be locked to one address. ($20/mo.)

I know you can "pause" service on an RV system if you find you are not going to use it. But I haven't seen the "best effort" email so I don't know if that is an option or not.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

I just went back and read the email again. You can pause the service. I went ahead and bought the kit. I guess I will be checking mine out soon

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Isn’t the RV service also “best effort”?

Pretty much, but $135 month verse $110 month.

 

[Alan W.]

It also has limitations like no gaming, video calls or 4 K streaming. Does the rv version have these limits also.

 

[sodamo]

No limits on RV, just the degraded connections.
I’d don’t game, but I do stream, no issues.

 

[Pixguy]

We RV and only have dsl at home so could I use the rv version at home and bring when traveling?

 

[Alan W.]

Something about all of this isnt right. They say the infrastructure isnt there to sell home units but they can sell the RV model and whatever this latest wet dream is called.
Sounds like a desperate grab for funds.
How can this latest incarnation crowd bandwidth from home system users in my area when there aint any home systems in my area.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

“During peak times of network congestion “which usually occurs in the afternoon and evening you will have reduced internet connection.
So I wont be able to do teams calls on my VPN connection in the afternoon. I almost never turn on the video. I can dial in on my cell connection if need be. . Where we lived before, there was no internet service except Satelite. I got viasat for my wife to use for her vpn to europe (it was all spreadsheets being transferred)and no cell service in the house so I put a weboost antenna on the roof and we got 3 megs of hotspot and we made it thru 3 years like that. I have a feeling that I can figure this out. Where we are renting right now, I have T-mobile 5 g. I took that 5-g/LTE router to our new place to test it out and the speed was 8-15 megs. Still much faster than what we had before and faster than the DSL line that runs to the property.

 

[newbury]

It also has limitations like no gaming, video calls or 4 K streaming. Does the rv version have these limits also.

No video calls would be a game killer for many, zooming keeps some businesses afloat.

 

[WoodChuckDad]

We RV and only have dsl at home so could I use the rv version at home and bring when traveling?

Absolutely.

 

[plowhog]

It also has limitations like no gaming, video calls or 4 K streaming.

Is that specified in the email? Maybe someone could post the text of the email?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

We RV and only have dsl at home so could I use the rv version at home and bring when traveling?

I have an RV unit mounted on my roof.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

What will the internet experience be like with Best Effort?
During times of peak network congestion, Best Effort users will experience notably slower speeds than Residential users. Best Effort users will be able to engage in typical internet activity like email, online shopping, or streaming an SD movie, but they won’t be able to engage in activities like online gaming, video calls or streaming 4K and HD movies.

Outside times of peak network congestion, Best Effort users can expect to engage in all of the above activities and more, but speeds will be slower than Residential users.