Starlink Mini Fire Sale ($199) -- My experience with the service

[Michal]

Alright so I finally pulled the trigger on the Starlink Mini to supplement my Connect+ service. They have the mini at the lowest price ever, $199 until 3/31

Setup

I got the crossbar mount for $27, plugged it into the outlet with the included adapter, done. I like being able to mount it on the roof or back of the bed. However, I also plan to get one of the sunroof suction cup mounts in the future.
The crossbar mount was easy to install, and the inluced power cable is long enough to route it to the cabin or gear tunnel.
Pro Tip, install the mount on the "thicker" section of the crossbar so it can slide freely as you move it between roof and the bed

The Standby mode "hack"

So the Roam plan is great. It gives you 100GB at 300–400 Mbps which is plenty of fast data at $50/month. HOWEVER, the Standby Mode is actually unlimited data throttled to 1 Mbps for $5/month. I was skeptical at first, but I used my free month of service, switched to standby and started testing:

Calls & Facetime FaceTime audio in the middle of nowhere is perfect. Video is a little choppy but works well. Any phone with WiFi calling is good to go (Android). WhatsApp and any other VOIP applications work great.
Maps and Navigation Works great, and satellite images come in great. I also use it with my Offroad Navigation apps such OnXOffroad and Gaia.
Music Spotify, Apple Music, Audible work great on normal quality. Hight bandwidth services such as Tidal on lossless would probably buffer a lot
Video This part pleasantly surprised me. Drop it to 480p or 360p and you can actually watch stuff. Perfect for pulling up those 'how to" videos in the middle of nowhere

I already cancelled my Garmin Communicator I plan to to keep it on standby 90% of the time and only flip to Roam when I actually need lots of bandwidth — streaming a movie at camp, multiple users streaming, large downloads, maybe a firmware upgrade. The Mini is small enough to keep on the track or toss in a backpack. It Keeps the cost stupid low and works everywhere you have a clear view of the sky.

There's also a promo stacked on top of everything for new residential customers — $39/mo for the first 6 months (normally $109) for unlimited residential data, free hardware, free install, and they throw in a free Mini. Mini data plans are 50% off with the residential combo.
I live in an apartment building so I was not able to take advantage of that deal


Please feel free to use my referral link for an extra free month of servce. https://starlink.com/residential?referral=RC-DF-11042467-41924-91


Drop any questions below, happy to help

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[webfootdawg]

They recently shut off in motion use for the standby plan.

Amazing tech. I’m using it now. Prepare for plans to change every few months. Ask the guy general aviation crowd how it’s worked out.

 

[Michal]

Yes , I read a lot of posts about evolution of the Starlink plans, but overall I see the plans are getting better and equipment cheaper, especially with deals like this. Sort of like the cell plans back in the 90s where we went from having 30 minutes per month to free nights and weekends, then unlimited voice and data.

 

[webfootdawg]

I bought mine for two use cases. Connecting at places without good cell/broadband and in my small plane. They torpedoed the small plane options.

 

[Thedude]

I bought mine for two use cases. Connecting at places without good cell/broadband and in my small plane. They torpedoed the small plane options.

Fly slower? I had a good time cruising 100’ off the river and trees today well under the 100mph limit.

 

[webfootdawg]

I’m a vtail guy

 

[Thedude]

I’m a vtail guy

Oh, I’m sorry. It was nice knowing you Doc.

 

[webfootdawg]

My kids loved it last summer. Could stream their shows on xc flights.

 

[Michal]

My kids loved it last summer. Could stream their shows on xc flights.

Yep! For me, nothing beats a warm summer movie night. We got a portable projector, I drape a cheap screen across the crossbars and we have instant outdoor movie theater, or football game for the guys
https://amzn.to/3PTMfFC Projector
https://amzn.to/4dCSkQz Screen

 

[VSG]

There's also a promo stacked on top of everything for new residential customers — $39/mo for the first 6 months (normally $109) for unlimited residential data, free hardware, free install, and they throw in a free Mini. Mini data plans are 50% off with the residential combo.

False advertising.

Yes, that's what the Starlink website says, until you try to go through with the purchase. Then they show you the real numbers.

$39/mo for the first 6 months (normally $109) for unlimited residential data
No, that's only "in certain areas". For me, it's $120/mo right from the start.

free hardware
No again. Hardware costs $349. Plus $20 shipping. Plus $36.33 tax.
So the "free hardware" is going to cost me $405.33.

free install
Maybe, since it's "self-install"?
But they also want to charge me a $1,500 "demand fee", so not charging me to install it myself is the least they could do.

and they throw in a free Mini
OK, this is true.
Whew, for a minute there I thought they were lying to me ...

 

[Thedude]

False advertising.

Yes, that's what the Starlink website says, until you try to go through with the purchase. Then they show you the real numbers.

$39/mo for the first 6 months (normally $109) for unlimited residential data
No, that's only "in certain areas". For me, it's $120/mo right from the start.

free hardware
No again. Hardware costs $349. Plus $20 shipping. Plus $36.33 tax.
So the "free hardware" is going to cost me $405.33.

free install
Maybe, since it's "self-install"?
But they also want to charge me a $1,500 "demand fee", so not charging me to install it myself is the least they could do.

and they throw in a free Mini
OK, this is true.
Whew, for a minute there I thought they were lying to me ...

It’s not false advertising. It’s available in select areas, just like the advertising says it is.

 

[VSG]

It says "select areas" for the $39/mo rate, but not for the "No upfront Residential hardware cost." claim. There's no asterisk or qualifier on that sentence.

Regardless the difference between the advertised $0 upfront and the actual $1,905.33 upfront is large enough to be a significant misrepresentation.

This has long been an illegal advertising practice - drawing you in with a low advertised price which turns out to be only available to a small number of customers, in order to then try to sell you the same thing at a much much higher price. Car dealers do this all the time ("only 3 vehicles available at this price" in fine print, and guess what you're not one of them ...).

 

[Thedude]

It’s pretty obvious on more than one page of their website. Nothing illegal or misleading in the slightest.

 

[VSG]

Yes pretty obvious that they have "No upfront hardware cost." Period. End of sentence. No asterisk or fine print.

Also says that on all their advertising in different channels and on all my feeds.

And you're missing the point - a lowball advertised price that only applies to a small or limited number of customers is deceptive, misleading, and yes "false" by definition. We're not talking about a difference of $39/mo vs $50/mo, we're talking about the difference between $0 upfront and >$1,900 upfront.

Starlink targets its advertising just like everyone else, and if that offer isn't even close to true in my area then they should not be showing me that ad. It's just like a print ad in a newspaper in New York that shows prices only available in Texas. It's deceptive. Is there even one person in my county of 2.5 million people that's eligible for that offer? I don't think so (I've tried to quote five different addresses, all spread out). And that makes it deceptive.

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