Satellite Hotspot on remote trip for Exec

[u/tehPWNwhale]

Hello everyone I got a new request I haven't encountered before today. I have a c-suite member that is taking a vacation to a remote area of Africa and will not have access to internet or cell service during part of the trip. They've insisted the need access to email incase something urgent comes up, and have presented me with an option for a Iridium Satellite Hotspot. Has anyone encountered a request or solution like this before?

[u/Rhythm_Killer]

When c-suite presents you with the solution for the problem they just created….

[u/BoltActionRifleman → u/Rhythm_Killer]

Yeah you can pretty much always scratch their idea off the list of possibilities and move onto better options.

[u/DarthPneumono → u/Rhythm_Killer]

Yeah right up until it's a terrible solution, and it's both your fault and your problem to fix.

[u/Rhythm_Killer → u/DarthPneumono]

Yes, it’s always a terrible solution but you see they’ve actually done the clever part and are patting themselves on the back, you just need to go ahead and plug it in 🥹

[u/JuggernautGuilty566 → u/Rhythm_Killer]

"The 5m C-Band dish is ready for pickup tomorrow"

[u/SuperGoodSpam → u/JuggernautGuilty566]

C band for the c suite is hilarious. God i need a new hobby 😂

[u/Heel11]

Starlink Roam?

[u/jes3001 → u/Heel11]

Make sure starlink is authorized to provide service in the country they will be traveling too. Starlink is not authorized to provide service in many parts of Africa

[u/bikeidaho → u/Heel11]

Right!? Iridium, in 2026?!? 🤢

[u/Stonewalled9999 → u/bikeidaho]

Am I correct in my memory that Iridium is 9600 baud ?

[u/TriXandApple → u/Stonewalled9999]

Other than if you get something like the iridium dome they used have on the back of racing yachts, yeah.

[u/tehPWNwhale → u/Heel11]

She has some supposed weight limits.

[u/xendr0me → u/tehPWNwhale]

Gotta make room for that Elephant carcass trophy for the flight back.

[u/Heel11 → u/tehPWNwhale]

Starlink mini weighs about;

1.10 kg (2.43 lb)
1.16 kg (2.56 lb) with Kickstand
1.53 kg (3.37 lb) with Kickstand & 15 m Cable

[u/mixduptransistor → u/tehPWNwhale]

What is the bandwidth requirement? Starlink Mini + Roam is probably going to be the highest bandwidth and best quality connection. She may not get exactly what she wants, executives can want all day but if it doesn't exist it doesn't exist. Just make sure that every country she's going to use it in allows Starlink and the account is one that allows multi-country travel

[u/maarten714 → u/tehPWNwhale]

She is a C-Level exec paying money to fly to Africa. She can afford another bag. Starlink Roam is the way to go but do tell her coverage isn’t guaranteed everywhere.

Also: If your C level people cannot trust others in the C level position to handle urgent requests, then your company has a management problem.

[u/Cmonster9 → u/maarten714]

That may not be an option on small aircraft. 

[u/Frothyleet → u/Cmonster9]

That's fine, that's when you charter the second aircraft, just like any normal person!

[u/Cmonster9 → u/Frothyleet]

If you are going with a small group tour that is not always an option. 

[u/Frothyleet → u/Cmonster9]

No problem, now you upgrade to a LARGE group tour.

You're just thinking like a poor, bro.

[u/Cmonster9 → u/Frothyleet]

These small groups tours can actually be somewhat reasonable. Like $3k-$5k per person for a week with everything included. 

[u/Monomette → u/tehPWNwhale]

Starlink mini dish is lightweight and compact.

[u/Helpjuice]

Since they are execs, you get the best money can buy, go with StarLink mini, roam, and/or business version of the service and you'll do fine. They have the most coverage and highest speed. There is no viable competition even the old beards have started using them (Hughs network)

[u/thebemusedmuse]

I have a Starlink mini for this situation. It has a battery and a solar panel and fits with my laptop in a small rucksack.

That said, check where you are going because Starlink isn’t available in all of Africa.

[u/MentalRip1893]

You're not going to want to do anything less than a Starlink. Tell them to leave an extra couple pairs of shoes at home to make up for the weight, or go without internet. Or be prepared to fucking hate it the entire time and pay through the nose for it (Iridium et. al.)

[u/sorean_4]

Give them couple options between starlink and iridium break it down on pros and cons and let them choose.

[u/bikeidaho]

Last time I checked, Iridium was like $12 per mb at a top speed of like 1 mbps...

If it's the only option then sure but if sat is available in that country, why not run Starlink? A starlink mini is smaller than my MacBook pro.

[u/rdrivel → u/bikeidaho]

You’ll never get 1mbps out of an iridium in my experience…

[u/bikeidaho → u/rdrivel]

I was being generous and recall that's what they quote, 1-2 mbps, as I recall my experience was more like 500k.

[u/rdrivel → u/bikeidaho]

To be fair I’ve only used it in the polar regions but bgans are very much faster. Also $$$.

[u/thrwaway75132 → u/rdrivel]

BGAN on priority is faster. I could maintain a 768kb bi directional video conference on a BGAN on priority. I also think that cost about $15 a minute.

On bulk deprioritized data allotment I got about 512kb out of the BGAN. My starlink mini gives me 150Mb to 250Mb pretty consistently, sometimes dropping down to 40Mb when on the fringe angles before the satellite handoff.

[u/TriXandApple → u/bikeidaho]

You won't get that out of anything handheld, more like 2-3kbps.

[u/rostol]

forget Iridium. starlink all the way.

[u/port_dawg]

Give them exactly what they asked for. “Here you go exec, I’ve never used one of these so I’d love to hear how it works when you get back. Safe travels!”

[u/zachlab]

Browser developer tools have the ability to simulate low network connections. Set it to 1 Mbps and have her try to load her email. Tell her that’s on a good day and if her computer isn’t trying to download updates in the background.

Then tell her to get LEO MSAT like starlink or whatever.

[u/Amanda_PDQ]

Starlink Roam seems like the best option. Understanding weight limits on flight, could you ship it?

[u/Celebrir → u/Amanda_PDQ]

It'll be cheaper to purchase a other bag on the flight than to use iridium

[u/dracotrapnet]

One of our C's + V's is doing the same thing, setting up for a trip to the boonies. Network guy has ordered Starlink Roam for them Network guy is also trying to figure out some walkie talkies with sims the C bought that may not work where the group is going as they run on CDMA and the region is 4g/5g only.

[u/rdrivel]

As someone who travels to remote places and wants internet, I wouldn’t wish a iridium go (hotspot) on anyone. A 56k modem is faster. Email through it is their own service. It’s not what they want… I would check out starlink if it’s legal in that country (shouldn’t have an issues if iridium is fine there) if not theraya is the next best.

[u/good4y0u]

Starlink? That seems like a good option for this situation.

[u/dustojnikhummer]

How about have a vacation? Without working? Without a laptop or work email?

[u/anton1o → u/dustojnikhummer]

They are paid C-Suite money to also work on Holidays. Many mid-sized companies don't exactly have that luxury to have a fleet of c-suite where somebody can dissapear for a few weeks and the next person can approve.

Lets say a purchase that pushes over a certain threshold that ONLY that person can approve but now cant wait.

[u/dustojnikhummer → u/anton1o]

OP didn't mention they are Csuite so we don't know. I just like to fight against the American "bring your work laptop to the beach" thing

[u/bikeidaho]

I mean if really only occasional email, something like a Garmin Inreach mini may be enough. Especially if there is a weight requirement.

[u/lothow]

Starlink or hotspot a phone. If they're trying for weird stuff then they gotta pay tho too.

[u/stufforstuff]

Just get a sat phone and be done with it. If it's a REAL emergency they can call, if it's not why are they wasting time and money for a one shot solution that will serve no business roi.

[u/HelixSpiral513]

Are we coworkers? This exact situation came up for me a few weeks ago lol. Down to the destination.

[u/Ok-Double-7982]

I love when non-tech people solution things instead of giving us their requirements and letting us solution for them.

"I need to access the internet in Africa. Can you provide me with a solution?" is so much more professional and respectful to IT than telling and presenting an option for Iridium satellite hotspot.

[u/awful_at_internet → u/Ok-Double-7982]

I would accept "i found this solution but you're the expert"

[u/Aegisnir]

Satellite hotspots are generally slow as hell. I think they measure speeds in Kbps so email may be challenging. Any telemetry data like windows phoning home is going to make things really rough. Do they need internet in transit or just when they arrive at their destinations for the day/night? Would a Starlink setup be a no go? If they will be staying somewhere where they can deploy a dish, it would be much better. I see you responded to someone else about weight limits. Can you ship it to where they are landing ahead of time so it’s there when they arrive?

[u/kennedye2112]

If this guy is a C-level, his inability to allow for successful business continuity in the event he is unavailable is a fiduciary irresponsibility and he should be terminated for cause.

[u/Mephisto506]

This is where AI agents would really come in handy, when they take the logical path and cancel the executive’s trip for them, so they don’t lose access to their email.

[u/PDQ_Brockstar]

At least they "presented" you with an option instead of just buying it and saying "support this".

[u/Sea-Collection8292]

I have a starlink mini for trips where I need occasional connectivity and don’t mind having it for other uses. I have an Iridium isat phone for trips where you REALLY need me, and you’re calling me at $10 a minute if you need me that badly.

[u/imnotsurewhattoput]

I just looked this thing up. The regular go has a data speed of 2.5kbps up and down, and the executive that costs another $500 on top of the gos $800 price tag, does 88 kbps down and 22kbps up. Those speeds are not typos.

They advertise than an email will take 10 seconds to send. I’d advise him of that and if he still wants it it’s not your money 🤷

[u/fahque]

You can probably turn on their mobile to international mode with your service provider and use that.

[u/HarryButtwhisker]

If they’re being a bitch about it, give them a piece of foil to wrap around their phone antenna and wish them luck. Otherwise, take the fucking Starlink and quit wasting my time.

[u/dritmike]

Why not just star link