Starlink RV installation and use

[Cory2]

Originally Posted by docj

For those who need internet while in motion, I would think that the cellular network ought to be fine as long as you're on any major and most secondary highways. Even if you're streaming video to the kids in the RV, you're not going to use all that much data.

Yes "in motion" usage is typically limited in nature. Now at the campsite is another matter. Within a few years DTV and Dish will no longer exist. Starlink will be the final nail in the coffin. Add Hughesnet and Viasat to that list as well. All the technology mess and cost of tv antennas, cell boosters, wifi rangers, will go the way of the dodo bird. All this "stuff" was in desperate need of a disruptor.

We just need the ability to move from cell to cell which sounds like a late 2021 or 2022 thing.

[Philrodo]

Originally Posted by jh1975

Ummm, no. And that's why we are here waiting and hoping for Starlink to be available to RVers who roam.
...
Hotspot data is limited to the 15-25Gb a month range from all major providers except maybe AT&T who I will not touch.

FMCA offers its members a truly unlimited hotspot on the Sprint network for $50 a month. Speeds can vary depending on signal strength, but we generally get decent download speeds that allow for uninterrupted video streaming. The upload speeds are usually much slower. The plan is not subject to throttling or network management. We’ve been traveling for about three weeks now and have used 200 GBs of data.

[Cory2]

Sorry but Sprint is probably the worst cell network that ever existed. Had google fi that used them as a provider and most places i got nothing. Looking forward to rolling up regardless of where I am and setting the dish up where there's a decent open sky (be it on the roof of the rv or ground deploy with the 200 ft cable.

Easily hardware cost equivalent to a weboost device (which I've never been impressed with). Should clear most of the things off the roof RV device wise and allow even more room for solar if someone wanted.

Let's hope that sometime soon we'll all have another option, it's been needed for a long time. Fingers crossed for everyone out there waiting for the mobility option to become available.

[Philrodo]

Originally Posted by Cory2

Sorry but Sprint is probably the worst cell network that ever existed.

Perhaps that was the case before the T-Mobile merger. Since they merged, T-Mobile is aggressively upgrading their network and though for the present Sprint remains a separate service, at most locations I’ve checked I found that I’m logged into T-Mobile towers.

The FMCA with its large membership of active RVers, wouldn’t be offering a service that is not reliable. There are many posts by FMCA members praising the service. In any case, there’s no commitment so if it doesn’t work for you you can cancel after a month. More importantly, it costs about half of what Starlink charges, it is available now, and it can be roamed anywhere.

[docj]

Originally Posted by Philrodo

Perhaps that was the case before the T-Mobile merger. Since they merged, T-Mobile is aggressively upgrading their network and though for the present Sprint remains a separate service, at most locations I’ve checked I found that I’m logged into T-Mobile towers.

The FMCA with its large membership of active RVers, wouldn’t be offering a service that is not reliable. There are many posts by FMCA members praising the service. In any case, there’s no commitment so if it doesn’t work for you you can cancel after a month. More importantly, it costs about half of what Starlink charges, it is available now, and it can be roamed anywhere.

With all due respect, the Sprint hotspot used for the FMCA plans will not be able to access all the T-M bands where much of the network expansion has taken place. Sprint devices can access the T-M network but ONLY on those bands that they are capable of operating on.

[smiller]

Yes, as mentioned above the fact that T-Mo now technically owns the towers is irrelevant, a legacy Sprint hotspot can only access Sprint LTE bands and thus will have no more coverage than the Sprint network ever provided. Newer hotspot devices sold by T-Mo will eventually be able to use all the combined spectrum, but not sure if any if these are out yet and very unlikely that the FMCA device is so capable. Basically you are on the legacy Sprint network, period.

[swaff54]

Originally Posted by smiller

Yes, as mentioned above the fact that T-Mo now technically owns the towers is irrelevant, a legacy Sprint hotspot can only access Sprint LTE bands and thus will have no more coverage than the Sprint network ever provided. Newer hotspot devices sold by T-Mo will eventually be able to use all the combined spectrum, but not sure if any if these are out yet and very unlikely that the FMCA device is so capable. Basically you are on the legacy Sprint network, period.

I don't know about the FMCA device, but I have a Calyx Institute provided Sprint MiFi and recently, it appears to roam to the T-Mo network in some situations. The device shows an "R" on the screen and a speed check shows T-Mobile as the provider. Just sayin'............

[jh1975]

Originally Posted by Cory2

Starlink will be the final nail in the coffin.

For the most part yes, but not necessarily everyone. Starlink is only designed to provide data to less congested areas. Those using Starlink in large populated areas will all be sharing the same 'channel' and would see reduced performance. Luckily RV sites tend to be situated outside large populations.

Existing satellite Internet providers don't have the same limitations because their hardware and orbits are very different.

[docj]

Originally Posted by smiller

Newer hotspot devices sold by T-Mo will eventually be able to use all the combined spectrum, but not sure if any if these are out yet and very unlikely that the FMCA device is so capable. Basically you are on the legacy Sprint network, period.

I believe that the new Inseego M2000 covers all the T-M and Sprint bands including all the <6GHz 5G bands. They have Category 22 modems.

[Aquaadverse]

Originally Posted by smiller

Yes, as mentioned above the fact that T-Mo now technically owns the towers is irrelevant, a legacy Sprint hotspot can only access Sprint LTE bands and thus will have no more coverage than the Sprint network ever provided. Newer hotspot devices sold by T-Mo will eventually be able to use all the combined spectrum, but not sure if any if these are out yet and very unlikely that the FMCA device is so capable. Basically you are on the legacy Sprint network, period.

I got an Inseego 8000L from FMCA when I got the plan in January. Cat 18 modem that does not have B71, but did have Bands 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41, 46, 48, 66. 1, 8, 18, 19, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 42. are available with a software update.So yeah, it appears to be pretty capable. I put around 750 gig of data on this plan last month. I was never throttled and had little network management. So no, not basically on the Sprint legacy network period.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Philrodo

FMCA offers its members a truly unlimited hotspot on the Sprint network for $50 a month. Speeds can vary depending on signal strength, but we generally get decent download speeds that allow for uninterrupted video streaming. The upload speeds are usually much slower. The plan is not subject to throttling or network management. We’ve been traveling for about three weeks now and have used 200 GBs of data.

Can I suggest you go to https://www.irv2.com/forums/f53/40-m...ml#post4758860 and add your conversation there. That has to do with unlimited using Verizon towers and Verizon's Visible service and can be $25/month with good download and upload speeds possible. Might be a better place to have this conversation that one installing and using Starlink. Perhaps more people interested in what you are stating, even though that conversation has entered that thread as well.

[docj]

Originally Posted by Aquaadverse

I got an Inseego 8000L from FMCA when I got the plan in January. Cat 18 modem that does not have B71, but did have Bands 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 41, 46, 48, 66. 1, 8, 18, 19, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 42. are available with a software update.So yeah, it appears to be pretty capable. I put around 750 gig of data on this plan last month. I was never throttled and had little network management. So no, not basically on the Sprint legacy network period.

By comparison, the T-Mobile version of the new M2000 has the following bands:

5G: n2, n41, n66, n71;
LTE: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 49, 66, 71

It appears that the "missing LTW bands" on the 8000L are 49, 66 and 71. I don't know about the other two, but band 71 is a central part of T-Mobile's low-frequency expansion effort.

There's no doubt that the 8000L will work on the T-M network, but it does lack a band that T-M has been touting for long-range network performance.

[Philrodo]

Originally Posted by docj

With all due respect, the Sprint hotspot used for the FMCA plans will not be able to access all the T-M bands where much of the network expansion has taken place. Sprint devices can access the T-M network but ONLY on those bands that they are capable of operating on.

I don’t care what bands it accesses, as long as it gives me reliable signal...

Regardless, I believe that the latest hotspots offered under the FMCA plan access most of the T-Mobile bands.

[Philrodo]

Originally Posted by smiller

Yes, as mentioned above the fact that T-Mo now technically owns the towers is irrelevant, a legacy Sprint hotspot can only access Sprint LTE bands and thus will have no more coverage than the Sprint network ever provided. Newer hotspot devices sold by T-Mo will eventually be able to use all the combined spectrum, but not sure if any if these are out yet and very unlikely that the FMCA device is so capable. Basically you are on the legacy Sprint network, period.

Obviously, you’re not talking from personal experience and are making assumptions...