Starlink - pre-order available in NZ

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8315 posts

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#2659552 19-Feb-2021 12:00

lchiu7:

Plus somebody has performed some revenue projections on Starlink based on their filings etc.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/02/14/elon-musk-predicted-starlink-would-generate-30-bil/

Here they assume overscribing 3:1 which might make sense except possibly in the evenings when everybody is watching streaming TV.

Their conclusions are it's hard to see how they could generate 30 billion in revenue.

5G is also a strong competitor.

You have got to wonder given the continued expansion of UFB and 5G, that the niches for services like Starlink basically get smaller and smaller....

It does have a whiff of being a 2020's Iridium.... albeit with more birds and more money on the line

PolicyGuy

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#2659781 19-Feb-2021 13:55

wellygary:

You have got to wonder given the continued expansion of UFB and 5G, that the niches for services like Starlink basically get smaller and smaller....

It does have a whiff of being a 2020's Iridium.... albeit with more birds and more money on the line

UFB & 5G services are only ever going to be available to 'townies', and that is absolutely not Starlink's target market.

Starlink, in NZ terms, is aimed at those places where the user wants "modern" Internet and there is no Internet access at all, or where the only Internet access is via geostationary satellite, or fixed wireless with low speeds and/or low data caps, or xDSL is the best they can get. That's actually quite a lot of places.
Many of these places are in the "lifestyle block" rural fringe zones, where the owners would love the same kind of Internet access they can get at their workplaces. Others are truly rural, and the ability to run their farming-based business from home will be a tremendous business advantage.
One of my family lives in semi-rural Waikato and has a choice of Spark Wireless or nothing (no xDSL, but they could have a landline & dial-up!). They are cursing that their 2-year Spark contract has over a year to run

Actually, NZ is a relatively poor market for Starlink, as our UFB & RBI reaches out much further than many other places.

Australia, on the other hand ... you could be in a major metropolitan suburb and be getting only 25Mb/sec, and there are thousands and thousands of people who will otherwise only ever get 'Sky Muster' geostationary satellite service, laggy as all get out and maximum 25/5 speeds

wellygary

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#2659799 19-Feb-2021 14:23

PolicyGuy:

wellygary:

You have got to wonder given the continued expansion of UFB and 5G, that the niches for services like Starlink basically get smaller and smaller....

It does have a whiff of being a 2020's Iridium.... albeit with more birds and more money on the line

UFB & 5G services are only ever going to be available to 'townies', and that is absolutely not Starlink's target market.

A few years ago I would have agreed, but with UFB now stretching into towns like Raetihi, Ruatoria, Murupara , Reefton and Tekapo, and the then subsequent ability to then build out fibre linked RBI and subsequently 5G from those locations, the "remote" population starts to become very small...

chevrolux

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#2659808 19-Feb-2021 14:44

PolicyGuy:

UFB & 5G services are only ever going to be available to 'townies', and that is absolutely not Starlink's target market.

Yea as above, I'd love to see some from Ruatoria, or someone below the likes of Hokitika, be called a townie hahaha. See how that goes down.

NZ already has a couple of options for satellite broadband for that last 1% (probably even less than that) of people that truly are remote. I'd rather see Elon keep his 30000 satellites (or whatever it is) on the ground, and build some better cars instead.

Azzura

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#2661560 23-Feb-2021 07:04

kingdragonfly

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#2661871 23-Feb-2021 15:28

Techblog.NZ: target="_blank">SpaceX keeps the Starlink launches coming, reveals NZ pricing

accessible in "mid to late 2021"
$159 per month
set-up cost of $799 for the Starlink dish
$114 for shipping and hardware
satellites are over 60 times closer to Earth than traditional satellites,

16 Feb. 2021

...Last month, the FCC granted permission for SpaceX to launch ten satellites into polar orbit, which would allow it to begin offering satellite broadband services in Alaska. The Starlink service is already being trialled by beta users in the US and the UK, with Starlink suggesting data speeds of 50Mbps (megabits per second) to 150Mbps will be possible with the service - as long as it has enough satellites in orbit and operational to provide continuous coverage.

That could appeal to rural New Zealanders beyond the reach of the Ultrafast Broadband Network, copper lines, mobile and fixed wireless services. But it will come at a relatively high price.

The Starlink website, where people can register to pre-order the service, outlines a set-up cost of $799 for the Starlink dish and receiver, plus $114 for shipping and hardware. The broadband service will cost $159 per month. There's no information on the website indicating what installation and service support will be offered.
...

itey

476 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2669430 7-Mar-2021 12:54

Will definitely sign my parents up to this once their 2 year contract with wirelessnation is up. They only live 1 hours drive from Auckland, and are currently paying $180/month for 4g rural wireless. They're by no means power users but pay $180/month for 200gb peak time data. Its crazy.

Samsung

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acjh58

43 posts

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#2669510 7-Mar-2021 15:26

It's hard to verify from any available data, but the RBI initiative should reach over 99% of rural households with "reasonable" broadband capability and local ISP services over the next year or so. The bulk of the funding is going into wireless, probably heavily focused on 4G, with the benefit of some rural highway mobile coverage too. This appears to limit the Starlink opportunity in NZ?

Also, with the recent lockdowns etc, Chorus has published some interesting data on domestic broadband usage. It's fairly clear from this that a large percentage of the internet access data is now media streaming (which may have previously been supplied via Sky), plus the occasional large game or software updates. Any ideas on how the Starlink ISP will access this local content?

Thanks, Alan

Chrisclarke

196 posts

Master Geek

#2669517 7-Mar-2021 15:53

I think the issue is that when 'reasonable broadband' was defined at the start of the rollout it underestimated future data consumption and expectations are now higher than the limits that 4g (the technology or the provider) can offer. I note that 4g data caps were removed during lockdown with no noticeable impact locally.

I can only speak to my own circumstances, but the 4g download speed is fine but the rural data caps are too low. I'm hearing the same story from other local rural users.Local wisps have the same challenge.

Our local community was delighted to get a cell tower last year, but wireless internet uptake has been poor. Most elected to remain with copper at lower speeds in favour of retaining unlimited data.

Starlink is a similar price to the above offerings but with the benefit of unlimited data.

We are a family of four with two teenage kids who ditched Sky some years ago and are reliant (and prefer) streaming for TV. Teenage son games as well.

The signal (for the medium term future until sat to sat laser links are rolled out) is bounced back to local ground stations in NZ.

PolicyGuy

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#2669555 7-Mar-2021 17:14

Chrisclarke:

I think the issue is that when 'reasonable broadband' was defined at the start of the rollout it underestimated future data consumption and expectations are now higher than the limits that 4g (the technology or the provider) can offer. I note that 4g data caps were removed during lockdown with no noticeable impact locally.

I can only speak to my own circumstances, but the 4g download speed is fine but the rural data caps are too low. I'm hearing the same story from other local rural users.Local wisps have the same challenge.

...

Starlink is a similar price to the above offerings but with the benefit of unlimited data.

This

Cost
For example, Spark Rural Broadband (with external antenna) costs $95.99/ month for 160GB, $155.99/month for 300GB and $205.99/month for 350GB - you aren't allowed more than 350GB/month, there are no unlimited plans.
Starlink would cost $159 per month with no data cap, so it's already cheaper than the 300GB plan.
Admittedly there is a $799 charge for 'Dishy', plus $114 for shipping and handling, but Spark will also charge for the antenna installation and modem. If you actually want to consume 350+GB/month, Starlink will quickly pay for itself

Speed
Wireless Rural Broadband is advertised as 'up to' 100/10 (Mb/sec, down/up), but I understand that observed speeds are more like 35-40/5-10
Observed speeds on Starlink (in the USA, but no reason they'd be different here) are in the area of 100-180/20-30, and this can be expected to increase as more satellites are orbited

[Edit: formatting]

Chrisclarke

196 posts

Master Geek

#2669565 7-Mar-2021 17:46

PolicyGuy:

This

Cost
For example, Spark Rural Broadband (with external antenna) costs $95.99/ month for 160GB, $155.99/month for 300GB and $205.99/month for 350GB - you aren't allowed more than 350GB/month, there are no unlimited plans.
Starlink would cost $159 per month with no data cap, so it's already cheaper than the 300GB plan.
Admittedly there is a $799 charge for 'Dishy', plus $114 for shipping and handling, but Spark will also charge for the antenna installation and modem. If you actually want to consume 350+GB/month, Starlink will quickly pay for itself

Speed
Wireless Rural Broadband is advertised as 'up to' 100/10 (Mb/sec, down/up), but I understand that observed speeds are more like 35-40/5-10
Observed speeds on Starlink (in the USA, but no reason they'd be different here) are in the area of 100-180/20-30, and this can be expected to increase as more satellites are orbited

Fantastic comparison! And exactly why I signed up for Starlink as soon as I could. For us it is certainly promising to be better than the alternatives, and if the reddit thread is anything to go by the service is getting better by the day. Keeping fingers crossed for favourable weather and no technical issues so they can get as many launched as possible in the coming months.

zenourn

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#2670895 10-Mar-2021 09:20

Looks like Starlink service in NZ might be starting this week:

https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1369335457809657859?s=21

I put my preorder in early on the 10/2 so could be getting it soon!

lchiu7

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#2670999 10-Mar-2021 11:41

Looks like they are looking to go mobile which would be a game changer.

https://www.geekwire.com/2021/spacex-seeks-fcc-ok-extend-starlink-satellite-data-service-vehicles-boats-planes/

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.