Starlink Mobility: Unleashing Satellite Internet on the Move

Starlink Priority brings satellite internet with you on the move with the fastest speeds possible. Only a handful of solutions exist for getting a reliable internet connection while moving, and even fewer have high download speeds.

Starlink Priority plans are the top tier of the provider’s service, allowing you to access the highest possible speeds while traveling on the freeway, ocean, or air. 

We’ll explore Priority (formerly called Starlink Mobility or Maritime) and see where it fits into the overall Starlink lineup and if it’s right for you.

 Starlink Priority is the plan sold under Starlink's use cases of mobility, mobile business, and maritime. These plans can be used with any dish, but Starlink recommends the Flat High-Performance dish for businesses, which is designed to be mounted to a vehicle and used in motion. This makes the plan ideal for emergency response, trucking, and sea travel.

The speeds available are excellent for satellite, with more than 220Mbps download and 25Mbps upload. These speeds are comparable to wired connections, which is impressive not only for satellite but also for in-motion satellite. There is a Local tier that can be used regionally, while the more expensive Global tier can be used internationally. 

Users on one of these plans get priority during times of increased network demand. This setup makes it ideal for customers who need improved reliability since you won’t have to worry about slowdowns due to network congestion.

Starlink Priority are the provider's most expensive plans. They start at $65 per month for 50GB of priority data—enough for light or occasional use but likely not enough for many users. The plans do offer unlimited standard data but severely slowed down to 1Mbps download speeds.

Here is the breakdown of the Starlink Priority pricing tiers:

Starlink Priority is hard to compare with other mobile internet options because there really aren’t any that match Starlink’s offering. It’s an in-motion service—only cellular internet, like 5G, is available as an in-motion option for most consumers. Coverage is likely to be much better than cellular, with no need to worry about proximity to cell towers. Finally, Starlink is quite fast for satellite internet, which can open it up to applications that otherwise might not be available—rapid communications, video conferencing, or streaming video.

Ultimately, if you need that in-motion capability and speed, combined with the exceptional coverage of satellite service, Starlink Priority may be worth the steep cost. It's also important to stay on top of the amount of data you use since speed comes to a near standstill and avoid paying fees for additional data.

Starlink Priority has a wide variety of use cases, from streaming the big game on your yacht to life-saving communication in the field.

For more recreational uses, it’s a nice amenity if you live or practically live in your RV and your passengers need internet while driving on the open road. For boat owners, it’s not just a luxury but also a lifeline in emergencies—providing access to navigation tools and communication to land.

There are also more professional uses for Starlink Priority. Mobile businesses, whether on land or sea, can benefit from a constant internet connection. For emergency responders in remote locations, it can be a life-saving communication tool.

Suppose you don’t need to use the internet in-motion or don’t need the extreme coverage of satellite. In that case, it almost certainly makes more sense to go with either another satellite plan (such as one of Starlink’s other offerings) or a mobile hotspot plan from a cellular provider like T-Mobile.

If Starlink Priority seems too expensive or overkill, don’t worry—you’ve got plenty of other options for mobile internet or rural internet.

Perhaps the best analog for Starlink Mobility would be a 5G plan from one of the major cellular carriers. There are several options here:

• A cellular plan with hotspot data, using your phone as the hotspot
• A separate data plan with a dedicated hotspot
• A 5G home internet plan

All three major carriers—T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T—offer these options. The cell plans and hotspot plans are most valuable for the types of in-motion or on-the-go applications we’re discussing here. Any of these options will be much more affordable than Starlink Priority, and the coverage is getting quite good as well, although it’s still not as widespread as satellite.

Starlink offers several other satellite internet plans that may suit your needs. While none offer the in-motion capability of Starlink Mobility, they are all more affordable. There are a few options that may suit your needs:

• Starlink Residential: This is Starlink’s residential satellite internet service, designed for people who only need satellite internet at a single, fixed location.
• Starlink Roam: Formerly known as Starlink Roam, this plan is for RV and portable service. It’s not designed for in-motion use, but the dish can be taken from place to place and set up as needed.

If you intend to use your internet service in a single, fixed location, such as a home or regular campsite, you can also consider two of our favorite satellite providers—Hughesnet and Viasat.

Both providers offer flexible plan selections so you can get the speed you need without overpaying. The major difference between the two is that Hughesnet offer unlimited data, while Viasat does not.

Finally, if you’re looking for RV internet, or something to use on the road, you can always opt to use campground Wi-Fi (or any other public network). The main advantage here is that these networks are generally free to use. Of course, the disadvantages are that they’re public (and thus less secure), and they tend to be slower than some of the other options on this list. This is a potentially viable option, but it’s our least favorite on this list.

Starlink’s Priority plans promise to help power your on-the-move connection. The speeds, data allotments, and ability to use the service while in motion are all major positives. However, Starlink Priority is extremely expensive, likely putting it out of reach for most casual non-business users.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of alternatives available these days, including 5G mobile internet and other satellite providers. Whatever your needs, we’re sure you can find the perfect plan for you.