SpaceX Receives In Motion Approval For Standard Gen 3 & Upcoming Mini Dish – New Mobile Mount

SpaceX first received FCC approval for two new dish designs in September 2023, but that approval was only for fixed-location use since the FCC did not approve Starlink's request for in-motion use. That approval has finally come this week. 

One of the new designs, the Standard Gen 3 dish, was released in late 2023, and the other, which has not yet been released, is called the "Mini Dish," which promises to be much smaller and portable, making it easy to travel with.

SpaceX's application for in-motion use for both of these new dishes was delayed, likely due to objections from competitors. Now that their approval has come through, users have even more choices to stay connected while in motion. 

Starlink now has 3 different versions of hardware, all approved for in-motion use (Flat HP, Standard, & Mini)

Customers no longer have to worry about unofficially using the Gen 3 Standard in motion. Even better, when the Mini Dish is released, it will be ready to be used in motion. 

Starlink In Motion Video

Using Starlink Hardware In Motion on RVs

Some RVers love the idea of traveling with Starlink, which is actively working while in motion and permanently mounted on their RV. This way, they can stay connected wherever they are without worrying about dropping out of cell service that may not be available in remote locations. 

While the Flat HP Dish has been available for official in-motion use since October 2022 and comes with a permanent wedge mount to safely secure it to your RV, its $2500 premium price tag and higher power requirements make it unappealing to some RVers. Those RVers went looking for alternatives to the Flat HP Dish.

One alternative was modifying the Gen 2 Standard Actuated Dish to lay flat so that they could unofficially use it in motion. 

While Starlink recently updated the app software to allow the Gen 2 hardware to lay flat for mobile users, it is not approved for in-motion use, and doing so is at your own risk. 

With the Gen 3 Standard Dish officially approved and Starlink releasing its Mobility Mount to secure the Gen 3 to your RV or vehicle, users no longer have to use unapproved hardware or creative mounting solutions to use the Gen 3 Standard Dish in motion. 

There are already 3rd party solutions available to mount your Gen 3 Standard Dish to your RV or vehicle, but they tend to be quite a bit more pricey than the official Starlink Mobility Mount that is available for a very reasonable $35 from the Starlink Store.

We have more information about the Starlink Mobility Mount in our Starlink Gear Center.

Mobile Priority Data

For official in-motion data over 10 MPH, you need to subscribe to Mobile Priority Data while at speeds over 10 MPH. 

RVers traveling in their home country or continent can best accomplish this by subscribing to the Mobile Regional Plan for $150/month and only opting into Mobile Priority Data at $2/GB when it is needed for in motion. 

Just remember to turn off the Mobile Priority Data when you stop or you could end up with a very large and unexpected bill.

The other more expensive option is to subscribe to Mobile Priority 50GB at $250/month, but unfortunately, it uses all your Priority Data first, even if you don't need it, which means you could still have to purchase more Priority Data when you actually need it for high-speed in-motion use.

Unless you are traveling outside your home country for more than two months or traveling outside your home continent, this plan probably doesn't make sense for most RVers. 

While Starlink officially requires Mobile Priority Data for in-motion over 10 MPH, they haven't been enforcing this regularly. Many users report having in-motion connectivity at speeds over 10 MPH with regular Mobile Data.

However, Starlink could start enforcing this provision with this recent hardware approval.

Thankfully, it's very easy to opt into Mobile Priority Data when you truly need it in motion.

High Speed In Motion on Boats

In-motion connectivity over 10 MPH is less of an issue for some boaters and cruisers who may not regularly travel over 10 MPH.

Many boaters travel at a much slower pace, so the less than 10 MPH limit is just fine for them.

On the other hand, boaters tend to travel more often in international waters and across open oceans, and this already requires Mobile Priority Data to have access to what Starlink considers areas that are not land. Thus, boaters in ocean-designated areas are already paying for the benefit of high-speed in-motion use with their Mobile Priority Data subscription. 

The Flat HP dish is also more likely to be found in the boating community due to its more robust components and higher performance in extreme weather and temperatures. 

However, now that the Gen 3 Standard dish is officially available for in-motion use, it will be a nice option for boaters who prefer the more budget-friendly hardware.

Conclusion

It's great to see the latest Starlink Gen 3 Standard Dish finally approved for in-motion use. Starlink certainly had in-motion use in mind when they designed it, and now users can officially take advantage of that. 

While the Mini Dish has not been released yet, and little is known about its performance and specs, there will certainly be some excitement when Starlink's smallest hardware to date is released to the public.

We'll be sure to share news about it when the Mini Dish is officially released. 

 

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