blonde.travel packing · Note
Starlink Mini
- Beach
- Safari
- Hike / Trail
What
A compact satellite-internet terminal with built-in Wi-Fi, about 30 × 26 cm. It needs a clear view of the sky and can run from a suitable power bank.
Why
I am still surprised how often mobile coverage disappears. On our drives through the Alps, it has felt like half the route. Twenty minutes from Bodega Bay in California, we have found ourselves without internet on our phones.
Starlink changed that, and the Mini made it something we could take with us. On road trips from home, it goes on a roof mount. In the Seychelles, Zanzibar and Easter Island, we have had around 150 Mbps in places that felt like the middle of nowhere, using just the Mini and a suitable power bank.
Now I can choose a remote place or a tent without making mobile coverage the deciding factor.
Where
You buy the hardware once. Budget up to $500; promotions can bring it down.
Then choose a monthly roaming plan: currently $55–$175 in the US, or €45–€95 in Luxembourg, for example. Between trips, switch to low-cost standby and resume when you need it.
New customers can get a free month through my referral link, credited to the second bill.
About $500 hardware