19 Dec 2022
Starlink is now available across three-quarters of Australia. Is the Low Earth Orbit satellite service the answer for businesses experiencing connectivity issues?
Across Australia there remain many locations that do not have reliable access to NBN or to a mobile network.
In our regional towns and even in our cities, there are many streets where geographical barriers hinder mobile reception.
Meanwhile many rural areas have no access to an NBN service and mobile coverage is patchy.
Is the Starlink satellite service the answer for business sites that are not being served with reliable connectivity?
In this blog MobileCorp is is one of Australia's leading MSPs deploying both wired and wireless networks. We are now trialling Starlink with corporate customers who are unable to access a reliable connection by any other means.
Quick Links
Where is Starlink available in Australia
Where are Starlink Earth Stations in Australia?
How do I know if my business site is eligible for a Starlink service?
What is the Starlink Residential service?
What is the Starlink Business service?
What is the Starlink Roaming service?
What is Starlink's Maritime service?
MobileCorp - Communications Technology MSP
Where is Starlink available in Australia?
Starlink launched a trial version of its internet service starting with northern Victoria and southern New South Wales in April 2021. Since that time it has steadily expanded access and currently, Starlink service is accessible across about two-thirds of the continent.
In February 2022, Starlink announced it is continuing to move up the coastlines of Australia which can been seen in the two maps below.
However, more remote areas of Australia will need the laser linked satellites before they can be serviced, with Starlink suggesting that may occur by the end of 2022.
All of Australia is expected to have coverage by March 2023.
Starlink coverage map September 2022
Starlink Coverage map July 2022
Starlink Coverage map 2021
Where are Starlink Earth stations in Australia?
Starlink has 20 Earth stations in Australia. ACMA has them located at
Starlink Earth stations October 2022 Source: ACMA website
Wagin Western Australia Starlink Earth Station
How do I know if my business site is eligible for a Starlink service?
To check if your address has access to Starlink go to https://www.starlink.com/map
Below is the map for MobileCorp Head Office at 247 Coward Street, Mascot.
We can see that there is already congestion on the Hornsby area cell and no more users with an address in that cell can purchase the service.
What is the Starlink Residential service?
For fixed locations Starlink offers two service levels classified as Residential and Business, however many smaller business locations will choose to use a Residential service.
The Residential service started in Australia with a round dish but has now shifted to the new rectangular dish.one In the box is a Starlink dish, a dish mount, and a Wi-Fi router base unit. Also included is a power cable for the base unit and a 75-foot cable for connecting the router to the dish.
The dish needs to be located with 100o clear Line Of Sight. For this reason most households will mount it on the roof.
Starlink units are tied to a specific satellite, so can not be moved to a new address without contacting Starlink.
Starlink residential units are shipped from within Australia so take only 3-4 days for delivery.
What is the Starlink Business service?
Starlink offers a Business service which used to be called Premium, but is now simply called Business.
Business offers advantages over the residential service with a higher gain antenna, additional throughput allocation, and better extreme weather performance.
Starlink says its business users can expect download speeds of up to 350 Mbps and latency of 20-40ms. They position the Business services as enabling high throughput connectivity for offices of up to 20 users, storefronts, and demanding or critical workloads.
With Starlink, there are no long-term contracts, no data caps, and no exclusivity requirements. Business customers have access to 24/7 prioritised support and a publicly routable IPv4 address.
What is the Starlink Roaming service?
For existing Starlink services there is an option to upgrade to a roaming service.
The new roaming service is called RV, obviously in reference to its American target market of those who are moving around in a Reticulated Vehicle.
The roaming service is available across Australia with the exception of an area in WA and a few cells in Sydney.
What is the Starlink Maritime service?
There is also a Maritime service, designed for ocean going vessels and luxury yachts. If staying within 100km of the Australian coastline, the Starlink Roaming service is recommended.
Starlink Maritime was developed for SpaceX vessels and is currently being used to get high-quality video of SpaceX rocket landings at sea, providing continuous coverage in the face of engines capable of generating up to 190,000 lbs of force. The solution is designed to withstand extreme cold, heat, hail, sleet, heavy rain, and gale force winds.
The Maritime service offers the ability to pause and un-pause service at any time, and is billed in one month increments, allowing users to customise their service to their individual needs.
Starlink Maritime hardware bears a small footprint, demands minimal above deck space, and comes with an easy-to-install mount.
What does Starlink cost in Australia?
Starlink billing began from shipping date and is month-to-month with no lock in contract. There is currently no data limit on any of the Starlink services.
Procurement of Starlink hardware and services is only offered as a credit card purchase through the Starlink website at this time.
| Starlink Service | Unlimited Data | Hardware |
| Residential | $139 per month | $924 |
| Business | $750 per month | $3,740 plus shipping $155 |
| Roaming | $174 per month | $924 |
| Maritime | USD$5,000 per month | USD$10,000 |
MobileCorp - Communications Technology MSP
MobileCorp is a Sydney-based Communications Technology MSP who solves connectivity issues for Australian businesses.
We are a leading 5G and Wireless Network MSP and have made it our business to understand what Starlink can offer as a connectivity solution for locations where there is untenable fixed or mobile coverage.
For more information contact
GM, Sales & Managed Services
MobileCorp
e. peter@mobilecorp.com.au
m. 0400 299 909
t. 1800 243 252
About MobileCorp
MobileCorp is an enterprise ICT solutions company with a mission to deliver our customers a communications technology edge. We provide Complex Data and IP Networks, Managed Mobility Services, Enterprise Mobility Management, and Unified Communication solutions. We have a proven track record providing managed services for Australian enterprise and business, and we are a Telstra Platinum Partner for Mobility and Services.
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