Starlink - pre-order available in NZ

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Starlink - pre-order available in NZ

Chrisclarke

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#281278 9-Feb-2021 10:38

Starlink have updated their website today and instead of registering for a future beta service you can now pre-order with service expected in mid to late 2021.

Equipment Cost $799
Monthy Charge $159

A deposit of $159 is payable now and the balance is payable when service becomes available (Starlink will email and give a heads up before your card is charged for the balance). You can cancel the order and ask for a refund of the $159 at any point. Orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis.

(Worked seamlessly for me although I didn't receive a password for the website. I hit the password reset button and it let me set a password). Confirmation email received including terms of service etc.

Exciting news for those of us in rural areas with limited options!

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#2650089 9-Feb-2021 10:54

Thanks for the update,

That's incredibly expensive but also exciting at the same time.
Can't wait to see how Starlink develops in the future.

Talkiet

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#2650099 9-Feb-2021 11:10

NotATurkey: Thanks for the update,

That's incredibly expensive but also exciting at the same time.
Can't wait to see how Starlink develops in the future.

It's incredibly expensive considering "The cost of the decade-long project to design, build, and deploy the constellation was estimated by SpaceX in May 2018 to be at least US$10 billion.", and that they are planning on about 12000 satellites?

Gosh, you have some pretty demanding expectations!

I'd love an excuse to test this... It sounds great and early reviews are generally positive - it's just not clear to me if it would be good enough to reliably game and WFH.

Pricewise, I think it's an unbelievable bargain.

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

Chrisclarke

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#2650130 9-Feb-2021 11:39

I suppose 'value for money' is relative subjective. I pay Spark approx $160 a month for landline and internet - in my rural location copper is the only option. If wireless becomes available it will likely have data caps. So the choice is low speed and unlimited data, or better speed (via RBI) but caps on data. We have two teenagers and in the evening have to limit use to one or two devices at the same time... so for us Starlink represents great value. I appreciate that if you're in town and have access to fibre it wouldn't be an attractive alternative.

The Starlink reddit threat is a great source of information - and there's lots of (overwhelmingly positive) feedback from the invite-only beta's currently underway in the northern US, Canada and the UK. To many of the (predominantly rural) folk there the service has been life-changing.

CYaBro

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#2650139 9-Feb-2021 11:43

NotATurkey: Thanks for the update,

That's incredibly expensive but also exciting at the same time.
Can't wait to see how Starlink develops in the future.

Umm yea check out the prices for current satellite internet providers in NZ!

That's cheaper than some WISPs are charging.

If I wasn't able to get connected to the Chorus rural fibre running past our place here then I'd be signing up for this.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

dt

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#2650207 9-Feb-2021 12:09

Just passed this onto a friend who has signed up to the pre order for his father living out in Kumeu, currently has a 2mb adsl connection 🤢

wratterus

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#2650225 9-Feb-2021 12:34

NotATurkey: Thanks for the update,

That's incredibly expensive but also exciting at the same time.
Can't wait to see how Starlink develops in the future.

I would say it's extremely reasonably priced, even cheap! Will be very interesting to see how it develops.

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l43a2

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#2650266 9-Feb-2021 12:51

Looking at the pricing, specially the monthly charge, they charge $99 in the US, so comparable pricing to NZ once taxes and such are considered no hints of an apple tax here :)

richms

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#2650268 9-Feb-2021 12:52

NotATurkey: Thanks for the update,

That's incredibly expensive but also exciting at the same time.
Can't wait to see how Starlink develops in the future.

I would disagree 100% on both the hardware and monthly being expensive. I feel that it is incredibly good value for what you get, and would IMO be worried about it going up to what it is worth once out of the "better than nothing" beta phase.

Richard rich.ms

wratterus

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#2650273 9-Feb-2021 12:55

I guess they would need to set up one or more 'ground stations' in NZ before pulling the trigger on this?

Chrisclarke

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#2650313 9-Feb-2021 13:24

There are I understand two operational ground stations in NZ - south of Invercargill and outside Warkworth. I understand very limited private beta testing is happening in NZ already. The expected service commencement in the second half of 2021 reflects the need for the deployment of more satellites to increase the coverage and remove gaps (Starlink have just over 1000 in orbit, permission for 12,000 and would like to increase this to 42,000).

A week or so ago they launched 10 into polar orbit (they only have permission for 10 in the polar orbit, they are visible on the website below). They have laser links so they can transmit and receive data between satellites - this will eventually reduce the number of ground stations required however Starlink have indicated they won't deploy on their 'regular' satellites until 2022.

SpaceX seem to be aiming for two launches a month this year - releasing 60 satellites each time. Note they take between 1 and 3 months to reach their destination post launch.

This website is updated weekly and the circles give a reasonable indication of current coverage. (Bear in mind until laser links are fully operations the 'circle' needs to cover your dish and a ground station).

https://satellitemap.space/

Oblivian

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#2650319 9-Feb-2021 13:29

wratterus:

I guess they would need to set up one or more 'ground stations' in NZ before pulling the trigger on this?

According to the articles hinding at Awaeua being one. Not necessary. As the uplink/downlink is purely via your dish. The rest is done by the Mesh up there. But may be of an advantage.

Robin McNeill, who runs the Awarua satellite ground station, is listed as a director of Starlink, but wouldn't discuss Musk's plans, citing a non-disclosure agreement.

https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/7744177?backurl=H4sIAAAAAAAAAEWNQQrCQAxFbzPb6sJlEEF0YReCvUCYRB3sTMYkVXp7K624e%2F%2FB4zcVb2xNlFyxpImMUeN9%2BwRz1D6VR%2BDiycdurGywa9tlXxx9sKPKUGedShStB5UMC3cCAYmUzf71Ik48vkUJwvfGYRX6lJPDehPsCnMuip6k7NE5GAGxxal%2BYYlMZyzcg%2BvAIQsx%2FPwHbazxds8AAAA%3D

https://theorg.com/org/spacex/org-chart/david-anderman

https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/technology/whats-elon-musks-starlink-doing-in-new-zealand

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Chrisclarke

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#2650333 9-Feb-2021 13:48

Oblivian:

wratterus:

I guess they would need to set up one or more 'ground stations' in NZ before pulling the trigger on this?

According to the articles hinding at Awaeua being one. Not necessary. As the uplink/downlink is purely via your dish. The rest is done by the Mesh up there. But may be of an advantage.

Robin McNeill, who runs the Awarua satellite ground station, is listed as a director of Starlink, but wouldn't discuss Musk's plans, citing a non-disclosure agreement.

https://app.companiesoffice.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/7744177?backurl=H4sIAAAAAAAAAEWNQQrCQAxFbzPb6sJlEEF0YReCvUCYRB3sTMYkVXp7K624e%2F%2FB4zcVb2xNlFyxpImMUeN9%2BwRz1D6VR%2BDiycdurGywa9tlXxx9sKPKUGedShStB5UMC3cCAYmUzf71Ik48vkUJwvfGYRX6lJPDehPsCnMuip6k7NE5GAGxxal%2BYYlMZyzcg%2BvAIQsx%2FPwHbazxds8AAAA%3D

https://theorg.com/org/spacex/org-chart/david-anderman

https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/technology/whats-elon-musks-starlink-doing-in-new-zealand

Much has changed since this article was published. While the satellite links have been successfully tested there were issues with some of the components not burning up on re-entry. They have been redesigned and only the 10 satelites recently deployed into the polar orbit have laser links. Elon indicated (within the last week or so from memory) that there won't be wider laser link deployment until 'next year'.

So for now the signal needs to bounce from your dish, to a single satellite, and back to a ground station. There are about 45 ground stations in the US so far.

Shindig

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#2650748 10-Feb-2021 08:36

For someone who is looking at rural places in Kerikeri, the prereq of having UFB is now reduced, where starlink plusg that gap. For someone who needs to be online from a work perspective, but can look at deeper rural properties, it is a winner.

I'd happy pay that price for the service you are getting.

The little things make the biggest difference.

mentalinc

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#2650751 10-Feb-2021 08:39

Whos going to be first to use it as their fibre fail over?

When the light in the tube fails, use space technology!

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zenourn

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#2650753 10-Feb-2021 08:45

Ordered. Currently have 4G (unlimited AM + 200GB PM) + ADSL connections and although fibre is just 600 m down the road would cost $60k to get installed.

If it works well I can see I'll be putting lots of them in around the place.

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