Backpackers will soon have access to SpaceX's Starlink internet-from-space service, which is now accessible for boats, aircraft, vanlifers, Amazonian villages, and rural houses in more than 75 nations. The Wi-Fi router is integrated directly into the dish of the new, thin, DC-powered Starlink Mini, which is roughly the size of a thick laptop. Furthermore, it can give speeds greater than 100Mbps while consuming less power than conventional Starlink terminals.
The Mini kit uses an average of only 20–40 W, which is significantly less than the 33–62 W we recorded with a Standard Actuated dish and separate AC-powered Wi-Fi router just two years ago. This implies that you can run the Mini dish for two to three hours on a smaller 10,000mAh (40Wh) portable battery you undoubtedly already have lying around, or for somewhat longer if you use something like an Anker Prime 27,650mAh (99.54Wh) power bank. A USB-C PD power source with a minimum rating of 100W (20V/5A) is necessary.
The Mini dish weighs only 2.43 pounds (1.1 kg) or 3.37 pounds (1.53 kg) when combined with the 49.2 foot (15 m) DC power line and kickstand. It measures 11.75 x 10.2 x 1.45 inches (298.5 x 259 x 38.5 mm). Because of its IP67 designation, it is resistant to dust, rain, and brief submersion in water.
For the time being at least, Starlink Mini is an add-on to Residential plans in the US. The Mini kit costs $599, which is $100 more expensive than the normal dish. To add the Mini Roam service to current $120 Residential subscriptions, an additional $30 per month will be charged. According to early-access invitations sent to certain departing US Starlink customers, that provides Starlink Mini users with up to 50GB of mobile data each month, with the option to purchase additional for $1 per GB.
Despite being new to the US, Starlink Mini is already available in Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama, where it can be purchased with Mini Service or Mobile - Regional Service plans; in these countries, there are no data or speed caps associated with Mini, and use while in motion or over the ocean is prohibited. SpaceX claims that Mini will eventually be available in more markets.
According to the Starlink support page, "Our goal is to reduce the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable." "We are offering a limited number of Starlink Mini Kits to start at a higher price point in regions with high usage, like the US, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network." Starlink Mini, when used independently, has the potential to be a game-changer for anyone looking for a low-cost, shareable internet service that consumes little DC battery power. This might be a group of soldiers attempting to repel an assault, a family depending on a makeshift solar generator for electricity, or just bikepackers and overlanders choosing the less-traveled route.
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