Since the company’s inception in 2019, Starlink has had the goal of providing fast, efficient internet to rural communities. In 2022, they added options for those on the move with their mobile plans. These roaming plans have given digital nomads, explorers, and travelers the ability to connect to the internet and work from almost anywhere around the globe. As a satisfied customer myself, here’s why Starlink is perfect for digital nomads.
Why Starlink Is Perfect For Digital Nomads
1. Starlink Is Reliable
If you’ve ever had satellite TV, you know that it’s fairly easy to lose signal. If your satellite dish is blown too much or hit by something, it will no longer point in just the right direction. Dish TV employs a total of 11 satellites that move in a thin line around the Earth. If your dish is perfectly calibrated, you’ll have smooth sailing. But as soon as the dish comes out of alignment, you’ll get little more than static.
In comparison, Starlink has over 4000 satellites and is continuously launching more. These satellites rotate in low Earth orbit and create a gridded pattern, providing as much satellite coverage as possible. This extra coverage allows the network to pick and choose which satellites it transmits signals through based on user load and create the most effective internet access for each customer individually.
The Starlink satellite dish also houses multiple motors, allowing it to automatically adjust its angle and rotate as the satellites arc across the sky. The sheer volume of satellites and mobility of the satellite dish also allow for an incredibly portable setup. Whether you’re traveling down the interstate in an RV or across the deep sea, you’ll have access to the signal you need wherever you are in the world.
2. It’s Fast
If you’ve ever been boondocking out west or totally off-grid in areas with limited or no cell service, you know that getting online where and when you need to can be challenging. Even if you’re in an area with good cell service, phone hotspot providers often throttle speeds after you hit a certain usage threshold. This can happen even when you pay for unlimited data. Most 4G LTE hotspots max out at 30 MBPS, which is very slow.
Luckily Starlink is a much faster portable internet option you can take with you anywhere. Starlink has a variable speed model dictated by current user demand. Although you won’t always have the same speed, you can expect your connection to fall somewhere between 70-150 MBPS. That’s 2.3 to 5 times faster than a phone hotspot!
As a Starlink user myself, I can attest that my internet connection is more than sufficient for video calls, streaming, and general internet browsing. I’ve also been impressed with how reliable and fast the signal is. The quality and speed of the connection is the same as what I had in Greater Boston, which is amazing considering I now live in a very rural area.
However, if you’re actively on the move in a boat or RV, you’ll likely see slightly lower speeds as the satellite dish has to continuously readjust. Fortunately, when you park or dock, you should see speeds return to their full potential, provided you aren’t below too many trees or other obstacles. Keep in mind that the standard Starlink dish isn’t designed for roaming—you’ll need the flat high-performance Starlink model.
3. It’s Portable
Perhaps the biggest selling point of Starlink is its portability. The system is entirely self-contained and only requires electricity, so you can take it with you everywhere and use it anywhere around the globe. The satellite dish is built with a quick disconnect from the mount, which makes setup and removal easy if you need to take down or readjust your dish during your travels.
Starlink offers quite a few different types of mounts as well, allowing you to find the perfect solution for your living situation, whether you’re traveling in a boat, camper, or RV. It’s also fairly easy to build your mount from scratch, which is what I did. Starlink and third parties even sell accessories that can make your dish easier to travel with, such as a travel carrying case.
Overall I’ve been really happy with Starlink and have no foreseeable plans to switch. I think Starlink is perfect for digital nomads due to its portability and roaming capabilities. What do you do for internet while you’re on the road? Let me know in the comments!
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Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance and lifestyle writer. When she’s not busy writing about her favorite money saving hacks or tinkering with her budget spreadsheets, she likes to travel, garden, and cook healthy vegetarian meals.