Elon Musk’s satellite superconnection works even on a boat (and doesn’t cost too much)

If the pandemic cleared the way for remote work, making it a necessity, today new Internet connection technologies such as fiber optics and 5G have made it a convenience to which we have become accustomed. However, it is not always possible to have a fast enough and reliable enough Internet connection to allow us to work remotely, where we would like to. This is especially true along our coasts, in those most beautiful and remote places that can only be reached by boat.

The solution to our connectivity problems at sea could come from space. Starlink for RVs, SpaceX’s new satellite Internet connection service, has been available in Italy since December, a U.S. aerospace company owned by Elon Musk (Tesla master and PayPal co-founder).

How Starlink works

The novelty of this service lies in the use of a constellation of miniaturized satellites (Starlink) that orbit the earth and communicate with terrestrial transceivers, providing a broadband, low-latency global Internet connection (latency is the response time between computer and server; low latency is needed, for example, to make video calls).

You subscribe for RV, but it’s also good for boat

The RV subscription (Starlink RV), beyond the name, allows us to use the service on the go by moving throughout the European continent, theoretically for up to 60 consecutive days outside of Italy (then you will need to upgrade your subscription by registering in the country where you are).

If we exclude Montenegro, Albania, Cyprus, and Turkey, today the entirety of the northern Mediterranean coast is covered by the service, and although its operation at sea, beyond 12 miles from the coast, is not contractually stipulated (the area is covered but to use it it is necessary to subscribe to the Maritime plan, which is much more expensive and not yet available in Italy), several testimonials from those who have already tried it confirm that it is possible to connect even during long Mediterranean crossings.

Starlink, how much does it cost

The subscription prices are definitely more affordable than what we were used to. The antenna, which is self-installing, costs 410 euros, and the monthly subscription (which can be suspended when not in use) costs 85 euros per month. At the time of publishing this article, a promotion allows you to try the service for 30 days by paying only 1 euro, and at the end of the first month, if you do not return the device, you would be charged for the cost of the antenna.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NAUTICAL USE OF STARLINK

A dedicated Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/starlinkonboats is active for tips and advice on using Starlink on board.

Antenna Power Specifications Standard:

Average: 50-75 W
Idle: 20 W
Peak: 100-240 V~ 2.0 A 50-60 Hz

James Barbaro