Imagine you’re peacefully anchored in a tight cove on the lee of some remote uninhabited island with zero mobile phone reception. But you unexpectedly need to speak with family or a colleague about something important – so you chat by FaceTime. Then you spend the evening streaming a film on Netflix. You don’t even stop to check your connection. This scenario is getting closer to reality for some cruisers with the release of Starlink RV and Maritime versions. Starlink promises truly unlimited broadband satellite internet service without breaking the bank – but is it really the perfect solution on board?
Starlink is the first in a new generation of low-earth orbiting satellite communications services that promise to deliver low-latency, broadband internet everywhere. Developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink has launched over 2,500 satellites to date – spread out in a diagonal web flying across our horizon. To connect with the network, users purchase a satellite dish (the so called ‘Dishy McFlatface’) and wifi router, assisted
