Starlink, is it a good option.

[AntonyA]

This June, we're planning to travel extensively around Europe for about five months. Fortunately, we're not restricted by the 90-day Schengen limit. Our main concern is reliable internet access while on the road.


We're considering two options: Starlink or a SIM card setup with a router. We've seen some attractive eSIM data deals, but we're unsure whether there are routers that support eSIMs—or if it might be better to use a spare mobile phone with a data-only SIM and hotspot it to our laptops and TV. Starlink seems reliable but expensive.


Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. We will be traveling to France, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Thanks in advance!

 

[Ray-Vic]

Ultimately it depends how critical your internet connection is for you. When I'm away (mostly UK but also short trips to France) it is crucial as I need to work sometimes and do payroll etc, so it was not an option having a patchy service which I've found with the 4G router, particularly in very rural areas. I've never had an issue with Starlink and actually no longer use the 4G router.

Advice would be to add a DC-DC converter so you don't have to run it on an inverter, and roof mount is handy if you want to use it on the move or very quickly when stopping. However, it only takes 5 minutes to set up if not roof mounted, so not a big deal.

Overall, political or personal grievances aside, there isn't a lot of negatives to say about Starlink, apart from the cost of course, but I think you do actually get what you pay for as the connection is flawless.

 

[BrochMike]

If money no object, knock yourself out, get Starlink, sort out power and juggle the 60day rule.

If all you need is pretty reliable connection, usually available, usually sufficient to stream TV, then a 4G/5G Mifi router with some cheap (or local) SIMs would be the simple solution (but I think you already know that!)

Really comes down to personal preference and budget (and, possibly, your politics)...

 

[pandas]

Reading posts this makes me realise how much I really don’t know - actually more like confirming I just want a an efficient but simple solution. Just enjoy our trips without the hassle - Starlink looks like it doesn’t fit this criteria.

 

[gus-lopez]

the starlink mini will be better for most as that can run off 12v

Yur mention of the mini & 12 volt led me to look witha view tpo using it at home to reduce the consumption on 220volt. Google took me to the starlink page that is offering 50Gb/month roaming for 40€. No mention on it of the additional spanish gov.es 9€ tax?
That would be more than enough for the wife to stream her tv. + it also offers the ability to pause which I do not have with the home system. Last summer we swopped to "non prioritised" service which is around 150Gb speed whilst away as it wasn't being used & reduced the 49€ to 38€/month. Stayed on it when we came back as I have no use for high speeds it is only the wife wanting to watch tv that needs more than 10Gb to stream.
Might investigate the mini system as it can also be used on the move ,up to 160kph so they say & we are not worried about the 2 months limit .I shall have a look on my account later?

we turn ours off overnight so there is no additional noise, plus as we don't use it when asleep, why waste 20Ah of battery when off grid by leaving it running when it's not being used? It soon adds up after two or three nights.

My wife was on about doing that at home but she regularly watches tv at all hours of the night so I really could not see the point.+ it takes 24 hours for it to reload any obstructions again.

French tariff of £60 per month or the Spanish one of £50 per month!

When did the French one go up? it used to be 40€ same as spain just they did not have the gov.es 9€ tax?

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[Just smiffy]

I don’t know why some things have to get so technical and costly….

I have a tescos unlimited phone contract, costs me £20 a month clubcard price… I got and get 5g everywhere in Europe and constantly hotspot to it for other devices… never fails me yet..

 

[Fragle]

Reading posts this makes me realise how much I really don’t know - actually more like confirming I just want a an efficient but simple solution. Just enjoy our trips without the hassle - Starlink looks like it doesn’t fit this criteria.

You’re wrong on that.
Starlink is the simple solution. You just need to make sure that you have the correct information.

 

[Wh05apk]

I don’t know why some things have to get so technical and costly….

I have a tescos unlimited phone contract, costs me £20 a month clubcard price… I got and get 5g everywhere in Europe and constantly hotspot to it for other devices… never fails me yet..

Totally agree, id mobile, 5g all over France and Spain so far, never less than 50mb, have had up to 750mb! Leave router on 24/7, no issue with power consumption.

 

[Ernesto]

You’re wrong on that.
Starlink is the simple solution. You just need to make sure that you have the correct information.

No they're not (wrong). Thats just your opinion

Simplicity and efficiency are subjective measures and for pandas, Starlink is neither. I'm the same - its not simple or cheap or efficient for me either - but everyone's judgement is different, and valid.

 

[Captain Birdseye]

trouble is.....

I have an issue with its owner..... so even though it looks great etc, nope, will not feed the fascist

I agree with you entirely, but where we live in the countryside it is literally starlink or nothing.

We got starlink installed last year and it gives us good connectivity, although when a decent alternaive comes up we will ditch startlink.

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[Paul Wilkins]

Have been using a Starlink Mini for our internet requirements for a while now, works flawlessly with reasonable data rates. I like the fact there is no contract, it can be paused when you're not using it. The two month rule isn't an issue for us.
As for the comments about Mr Musk.. I never heard anyone complaining when he gave Starlink to Ukraine and other disaster areas for FREE.
Yes the bloke is like a 15 year old with a load of money but I think he's done more good than harm.

 

[Chris Summers]

This June, we're planning to travel extensively around Europe for about five months. Fortunately, we're not restricted by the 90-day Schengen limit. Our main concern is reliable internet access while on the road.


We're considering two options: Starlink or a SIM card setup with a router. We've seen some attractive eSIM data deals, but we're unsure whether there are routers that support eSIMs—or if it might be better to use a spare mobile phone with a data-only SIM and hotspot it to our laptops and TV. Starlink seems reliable but expensive.


Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. We will be traveling to France, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Thanks in advance!

We have had Starlink for a year now and had no issues. Always great download speeds even where Sims don’t work

 

[helzie2020]

Here's my viewpoint.

There is growing concern about the number of satellites in orbit around Earth, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO), and Starlink is a major contributor to this situation.

• Space debris – More satellites mean a higher risk of collisions. Even tiny fragments can damage or destroy spacecraft.
• Crowded orbits – LEO is getting congested. Satellite operators must constantly monitor and adjust orbits to avoid collisions, which is becoming more complex as the number of objects increases.
• Light pollution – Astronomers are worried because large satellite constellations like Starlink can interfere with ground-based telescopes.
• Radio frequency interference – With so many satellites transmitting, there’s growing potential for interference with other systems, particularly in astronomy and Earth observation.

Starlink is by far the largest single satellite constellation, and it’s a major contributor to these concerns. As of early 2025:

• Over 5,000 Starlink satellites are already in orbit.
• SpaceX has permission to launch up to 42,000 satellites in total (approved in phases).
• New launches are happening regularly—sometimes multiple times a week.

The thought of 42,000 satellites, just from one company, blows my mind.

 

[Randomstop]

re using starlink 'out of country' ... some of us have succesfully registered a starlink in a country other than the UK. some have used Spain whilst others, inc me, have used France. The fees are then applicable to that country, so there is a saving to be made.

as pointed out though, you only get two months out of the country it is registered in, which if you are able to get back into the registered country for one day and use it there, then the two month sequence starts again. so if you went through France, registered it there, went touring for a couple of months but were able to get back to France, then you would be ok.
taking two stralinks is also an option - you just need two dishes (not two lots of kit) - we carried two with us recently as we wanted to register one in France

as for the comments re the owner of the company, i find it hard to take those comments seriously on the basis that most things are now manufactured in China and I may be completely wrong but do those who hate musk also boycott Chinese goods or anything made in china, who as a nation don't have a great record in the treatment of some of its citizens ...

After 2 months period is up you can re-register your service address in a new country I believe.
“If your Starlink Roam/Mobile service usage exceeds two months in a country different from your initial shipping address, Starlink may require you to update your registered address to the new location. However, if the new location is not an authorized Starlink territory, your service may be suspended.”

 

[Gareth_Kelly]

Another option to consider is a Dongle.

We use a data-only dongle (e.g. Netgear mifi)  with a SIM card from Tiekom in Spain.

They'll post the SIM to you. This gives us 400Gb/month in Spain and 200Gb/month elsewhere in Europe for approx €40/month on a rolling monthly contract.
When back home in UK we pause the SIM at a reduced cost of €3/month.
Tiekom uses the Vodafone network but doesn't work in Switzerland (check their website for coverage). When that happens we buy a local data-only SIM card and pop that into the dongle. When we were in Vietnam and Cambodia last year for example (not in the van!) we took it with us and it worked brilliantly.
The dongle itself is small (fag packet sized) and highly portable. That's the beauty of it.

When we're away from the van exploring or having lunch (), we take it with us and still have Internet access.
Never tried Starlink so can't comment on speed comparisons but we've been using the Netgear for 4 years now and on the whole it's been pretty good.

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[lanman42]

Another option to consider is a Dongle.

We use a data-only dongle (e.g. Netgear mifi)  with a SIM card from Tiekom in Spain.

They'll post the SIM to you. This gives us 400Gb/month in Spain and 200Gb/month elsewhere in Europe for approx €40/month on a rolling monthly contract.
When back home in UK we pause the SIM at a reduced cost of €3/month.
Tiekom uses the Vodafone network but doesn't work in Switzerland (check their website for coverage). When that happens we buy a local data-only SIM card and pop that into the dongle. When we were in Vietnam and Cambodia last year for example (not in the van!) we took it with us and it worked brilliantly.
The dongle itself is small (fag packet sized) and highly portable. That's the beauty of it.

When we're away from the van exploring or having lunch (), we take it with us and still have Internet access.
Never tried Starlink so can't comment on speed comparisons but we've been using the Netgear for 4 years now and on the whole it's been pretty good.

There are other option that have not been mentioned here! Several alternatives to Starlink satellite internet exist, including other satellite providers like Viasat, HughesNet, and OneWeb,
Eutlestat is another option (although i think it they have partnered with one of the above now.
Just punch any if the above into google and you’ll find most are cheaper options than Starlink.

 

[Kups]

I've just sold my starlink. Too expensive on roam subscription and 60 day limit was the last straw. Plenty of cheap sim cards in most countries (200gb for 9 euros a month in France). Recommend the OP goes with mini and phone hotspot. Also save storage space.

 

[zac]

I've just sold my starlink. Too expensive on roam subscription and 60 day limit was the last straw. Plenty of cheap sim cards in most countries (200gb for 9 euros a month in France). Recommend the OP goes with mini and phone hotspot. Also save storage space.

I think if i had not transferred mine over to Spain i probably would have sold mine as well as It's just too expensive here in the UK, but for people living in remote areas where they are getting crappy speeds from the main ISPs i can deffo see where it would come in handy or moving it to Spain/France where the cost is considerably cheaper as long as you visit those places that is

I spent a good part of the day taking our friends to a supermarket mobile shop where they were trying to get a local mobile sim which in the end they did (Spain cartagena), but it took most of the day as they were so busy they were told to come back in a couple of hours so had to stay around there and so many hoops to jump through. They did get one in the end which was quite cheap, but that cost me and them a 3/4 of a day. No problem for them as they were staying there for a few months but we only have just over 2.5 weeks so our time is precious (as they say)

 

[kingy58]

There is a way to use ESIM's in a router and I'll answer that part of the OP's question as enough people have commented on Starlink and I can't add anything more. I will say that if you have a 4G router a local SIM like RégloMobile in France from E Leclerc (currently 200GB for €9.80/month) is a cheap way to go. If you absolutely have to use ESIM's, one way is to buy a Switch SIM from PlanB which is a physical SIM card that you temporarily put in a phone and via the app, load with the esim profile that you have bought online. You then put the Switch SIM into the router and use it like a normal one. It also has the ability to hold several esim profiles so you can chop and change as you need.

 

[zac]

If ESIMs come down in cost then that would definitely be an option as they are super convenient but when i last looked at them the data was expensive which then pushes you to the local sim option or other alternatives

Just did a quick search and wow thats expensive, deffo better off going for a local sim and waiting in the queue if they are charging that price.

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[ian27]

Just another comment on esim in a router. I use an esim.me sim card. it's a physical sim card that holds esim.profiles. put it in your phone, load esim onto it using a phone with their app. The esim itself can be bought from anyone you choose. Then move the physical sim containing the esim, to your router.sounds complicated but it's not.

Router wise I use an glinet x3000 with a panorama 4x4 mimo dual sharkee on the roof..not a cheapo setup but will always pull decent signal unless literally in the wilds with zero masts reachable.

Bnesim has some consistently good payg roaming esim data pricing. Esim.net were stellar last year 300gb roaming, used to watch olympics on iplayer as it had a uk apn but they've downgraded it to 50 this year so not as good. Free do a esim version of their payg but I am yet to figure out a way to buy it without a eurpean bank account.

 

[zac]

Just checked the Bnesim site and they are still super expensive, dearer than the starlink once hardware is out of the way, they need to come down in price which they are slowly doing but no where near what is acceptable to most. All prices below would be plus the cost of the actual sim itself where these profiles are loaded, which looks to be 25 euros as a one time payment,

 

[gus-lopez]

There is growing concern about the number of satellites in orbit around Earth, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO),

Yes you have "Christians Against Satellites" a evangelical group who think there prayers & communications with God are being affected by them

 

[Paul Wilkins]

Here's my viewpoint.

There is growing concern about the number of satellites in orbit around Earth, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO), and Starlink is a major contributor to this situation.

• Space debris – More satellites mean a higher risk of collisions. Even tiny fragments can damage or destroy spacecraft.
• Crowded orbits – LEO is getting congested. Satellite operators must constantly monitor and adjust orbits to avoid collisions, which is becoming more complex as the number of objects increases.
• Light pollution – Astronomers are worried because large satellite constellations like Starlink can interfere with ground-based telescopes.
• Radio frequency interference – With so many satellites transmitting, there’s growing potential for interference with other systems, particularly in astronomy and Earth observation.

Starlink is by far the largest single satellite constellation, and it’s a major contributor to these concerns. As of early 2025:

• Over 5,000 Starlink satellites are already in orbit.
• SpaceX has permission to launch up to 42,000 satellites in total (approved in phases).
• New launches are happening regularly—sometimes multiple times a week.

The thought of 42,000 satellites, just from one company, blows my mind.

Not forgetting that Starlink satellites have a limited lifespan and are 'de-oribited' regularly and replaced by new ones. There are 5831 satellites currently in orbit, not all of which are active. There will never be 42000 Starlink satellites in orbit simultaneously.

 

[Randomstop]

There are other option that have not been mentioned here! Several alternatives to Starlink satellite internet exist, including other satellite providers like Viasat, HughesNet, and OneWeb,
Eutlestat is another option (although i think it they have partnered with one of the above now.
Just punch any if the above into google and you’ll find most are cheaper options than Starlink.

I’m afraid the information you’ve shared here is a bit misleading. The mentioned providers either don’t offer private customer access or have limited geographical access.
Could you please provide a specific example of a personal access plan from any of these companies that would be valid for the European Union?
Thanks!

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[Guigsy]

I never heard anyone complaining when he gave Starlink to Ukraine and other disaster areas for FREE.

He gave them to Ukraine because it was a great promotion. "Look at what my product can do!". He had zero thoughts about the political or humanitarian implications. Also, his "free" Starlinks to disaster areas have turned out to be free hardware, and you signed up to a lengthy contract. But it sounded good in the PR.

 

[Cidered]

Can the usual suspects keep politics out of a useful thread. You never know, you might find you enjoy posting more when you are not trying to wedge your politics into each and every post. It will certainly make for easier reading for the rest of us too. Thank You.

However it is useful to learn that Starlink is owned by Musk. I didn’t know that and it will certainly mean I would not touch it with a virtual barge pole.

 

[Randomstop]

I've just sold my starlink. Too expensive on roam subscription and 60 day limit was the last straw. Plenty of cheap sim cards in most countries (200gb for 9 euros a month in France). Recommend the OP goes with mini and phone hotspot. Also save storage space.

What about areas with inadequate mobile coverage?
I’m not certain there are “plenty of affordable SIM cards” that offer unlimited service.
Although a two-month stay may be restrictive, you can change your service address after two months if Starlink restricts your service.

I personally probably don’t require unlimited access, but it’s incredibly liberating not to constantly check my usage!

 

[Randomstop]

However it is useful to learn that Starlink is owned by Musk. I didn’t know that and it will certainly mean I would not touch it with a virtual barge pole.

As previously mentioned, please thoroughly inspect all your other products to ensure they are not manufactured in totalitarian regimes, such as China (and all other countries with documented human rights violations).

 

[Randomstop]

Have been using a Starlink Mini for our internet requirements for a while now, works flawlessly with reasonable data rates. I like the fact there is no contract, it can be paused when you're not using it. The two month rule isn't an issue for us.
As for the comments about Mr Musk.. I never heard anyone complaining when he gave Starlink to Ukraine and other disaster areas for FREE.
Yes the bloke is like a 15 year old with a load of money but I think he's done more good than harm.

While you may be very optimistic about Mr. Musk, it’s important to remember that 15-year-old children generally don’t support far-right movements and parties. They also do not normally get involved in politics on the far right side or publicly display Nazi salutes.

I believe it’s not appropriate to connect a product developed by a company he leads to his personal antics.

I don’t think he personally developed anything at SpaceX (he did take credit, though), but it’s the result of the hard work of thousands of people.

He does benefit from it, unfortunately, but if you start tracking who benefits from which product, you’d have to sell everything and move to Amazon (not the one owned by Bezos, of course).

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[Captain Birdseye]

Have been using a Starlink Mini for our internet requirements for a while now, works flawlessly with reasonable data rates. I like the fact there is no contract, it can be paused when you're not using it. The two month rule isn't an issue for us.
As for the comments about Mr Musk.. I never heard anyone complaining when he gave Starlink to Ukraine and other disaster areas for FREE.
Yes the bloke is like a 15 year old with a load of money but I think he's done more good than harm.

Agree, until recently.