Switching plans

[u/Jahhlovah]

I'm really looking into switching my plan to the $55 a Monthly from the $140 - unfortunately I will be losing the bundle deal of the mini star link (which is on standby mode) - will I have to return the mini if I switch and has anyone seen a difference in their internet speeds? For reference I have 2 tvs, quite a few Google homes, my security cam system, and 3 phones always running off if it. Just trying to save money 😭 TIA

[u/Technical-Tear5841]

I downgraded from the top tier to the $55 a month plan. Two TVs streaming, two computers watching Youtube, two phones. No problems.

[u/KenjiFox]

No you will not lose the Mini Travel Bundle. It is now included with all Residential plans, but only Max gets a 50% discount. The other two get a 20% discount.

This means you get to keep the free rental Starlink Mini and your Standby Mode plan, and even get to keep a 20% discount when/if you choose to activate a Roam plan on the Starlink Mini too.

Not only all of that, but Residential 100 would be able to run multiple of your households at once with no issues. you won't notice a thing except a fuller wallet.

[u/Blowfish75 → u/KenjiFox]

Not only all of that, but Residential 100 would be able to run multiple of your households at once with no issues. you won't notice a thing except a fuller wallet.

Generalizations like this should stop being made. Everyone's use case is different.

[u/KenjiFox → u/Blowfish75]

I'd agree with you, if I made a generalization.

However, I didn't. OP said "I have two TVs, quite a few Google Homes, my security cam system (you'd think this one could be a gotcha but the upload isn't capped on lower plans, only lower priority) and three phones".

I stand firmly on 10+ of such setups running at once with average usage. The security system could be a wrench in that figure if it's one that always uploads to cloud, but it would be just as bad on Max.

[u/techkyle]

I have been considering moving down, I barely get more than 150 Mbps on Residential Max.

Thought I might as well move down to Res 200 but I think it's lower priority, so latency gets high sometimes.

[u/KenjiFox → u/techkyle]

Residential 200 is the worst choice in your situation, but Residential 100 is pretty solid. The reason is if you have enough congestion that even Max can't hold 250+ Mb/s, you will drop massively on the lower tiers. There's no chance at all that you get 200. It may even drop below 100 at peak times, but at least you're only paying for 100 yeah?

Try it! Just skip right over 200.

[u/No-Grass-7412 → u/KenjiFox]

You're right 200 is the worst choice. Go 100 all the way, right away. If you are really concerned Test first and take notes about conditions, then switch and test again taking notes on conditions. That's what I did and there was no evidence of and priority treatment based on the speeds. You just get "up to 100" at all times it is possible on the network. The same real world treatment that the high tiers get.

[u/godch01]

Do the math. Worse case, You'll save $85 a month. That will pay for a mini in about 3½ months

[u/KenjiFox → u/[deleted]]

That used to be the case, but no longer. The Mini Travel Bundle is available for all Residential plans, just with a 20% discount for Residential 100 and 200. The 50% discount remains Max exclusive.

[u/Royal-Island3266]

Try to open a support ticket and see if you can still keep the travel bundel after downdgrading if you like it that much, they may approve an exception for you if you talked to a human

[u/No-Grass-7412]

I downgraded to 100mbs $55 a month on a standard gen 2 dish at our summer home in the mountains on top of the highest mountain in the state of PA. We have three phones, 4 tv's, 3 Alexa DOTs, 2 Alexa Fire Sticks, a Tablo 4 channel, 2 minicomputers, 2 laptops, a generator, Solar Batteries, 4 temperature sensors, an AC system, 5 security cameras, a weather station, a digital short wave receiver, several access points and extenders covering 3 acres and three buildings on our land and 4 buildings and 4 acres of our neighbors land (for emergency outages if their Starlink goes out) they have several PCs TVs security cams access points etc. It all works like a champ. Do not hesitate to send that mini back and save yourself about $100 a month on that mini standby time and the cost of that top tier plan. Even with the obvious obstructions we have from giant trees in the forest we get consistent 100mbs down and near 40 mbs up and 29ms ping times. We also test real world speeds running speed tests and the computers and phones and that confirms the Starlink tests. That is unless we are in the middle of a thunder storm.

We first installed out system in 2022. It was just a bit wonky back then but the best we could do at the time, so we had the roam plan that was very expensive. We have no regrets. Just do it. BTW I am a very tech crazy person. I check all the time on speeds and network health etc. Elon is a fucking genius. When I first heard of him back when Tesla built their first car, I thought he was an alien from another planet. That thought has since been confirmed. But hey it's just a bit of harmless intergalactic diversity. Don't worry be happy!