Early adopters of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband, known for its ultra-fast speeds and low latency via a constellation of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), are now being invited to test the company’s new Mini Dish hardware and Mini Roam service. However, the new equipment comes with a hefty price tag.
How Much Does the New Starlink Kit Cost?
Starlink currently operates 6,171 LEO satellites at altitudes of approximately 500-600km, with plans to expand this to thousands more by the end of 2027. In the UK, customers typically pay from £75 per month for a 30-day term, plus £299 for hardware under the ‘Standard’ plan. This plan offers latency times of 25-60ms, download speeds of 25-100Mbps, and upload speeds of 5-10Mbps.
Will Starlink Mini Be Available Outside the USA?
As of the end of 2023, Starlink’s global network served 2.3 million customers, with 42,000 of those in the UK, primarily in rural areas. Customers in remote locations may experience higher latency. Recently, the company started inviting some early adopters in the USA to purchase the new Mini Kit for $599 (£473), which includes the Mini Roam service for an additional $30 per month (£24). This cost is in addition to an existing residential subscription, though hardware prices are expected to decrease in the future.
According to SpaceX, “Starlink Mini is a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack, designed to provide high-speed, low-latency internet on the go. Starlink Mini includes a built-in WiFi router, lower power consumption, DC power input, and max download speeds over 100Mbps.”
What Are the Specifications of the New Mini Dish?
The new Mini Roam service provides customers with 50GB of mobile data usable anywhere in the USA, with additional data charged at $1 (£0.80) per gigabyte. The dish itself measures 298.5mm x 259mm x 38.5mm, is 63% lighter than the standard Starlink dish, operates in temperatures ranging from -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F), draws 25-40 watts, and can run directly off 12-48V DC. The kit includes a 110V power supply with a 15-metre cable and is IP67 Type 4 rated when using the included DC power cable and Starlink plug/cable.
The dish offers a 110-degree Field of View (FoV), a single Ethernet (LAN) port, and is currently software-locked to function only while stationary, although Starlink may introduce a mobile service at an additional cost in the future.
How Does the Starlink Mini Compare to Other Options?
The new hardware offers some clear advantages, although the built-in WiFi is limited to dual-band (3×3) 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) rather than the more advanced Wi-Fi 6, and has a limited coverage radius, requiring users to stay close to the dish.
Starlink stated, “Our goal is to reduce the price of Starlink, especially for those around the world where connectivity has been unaffordable or completely unavailable. But in regions with high usage, where Starlink Mini places additional demand on the satellite network, we are offering a limited number of the Starlink Mini Kits to start for $599.”
The first shipments of the new kit are expected to begin in July 2024. It is important to note that this product is still in the trial phase, and specific launch dates and pricing for the UK have not yet been announced.
