29. My Personal Experience with Starlink Internet in Panama
My Personal Experience with Starlink Internet in Panama
When your livelihood depends on the internet and you live in rural Panama, reliable service is everything. After a year of hotspots, under-the-table fiber, and "NO INTERNET FOR YOU!" drama, Starlink changed the game.
When you rely on the internet for your livelihood, finding a reliable service provider is crucial. As the owner of a boutique graphic and website design firm, I need a reasonably fast and dependable internet connection to survive. Starlink Internet in Panama was the answer!
Until Starlink became available, living in our rural area in Panama presented some significant concerns and challenges in this regard.
The initial struggle...
When I first moved to the countryside in Panama, I rented a small farmhouse while our new home was being built.
Unfortunately, it had only one option for internet: a local guy who worked some magic with a satellite (and grossly exaggerated the speed).
But, it worked—tenuously. It got bogged down by too many users at certain times of the day, and if it went down, you never knew when it would be fixed. (Remember the "Soup Nazi" in that Jerry Seinfeld episode? Many a person got the "NO INTERNET FOR YOU!!!" treatment if they dared question or complain. 😆) Nevertheless, I was grateful because it allowed me to work.
Shortly after moving here, I found out about the Starlink waiting list. I immediately paid the required $99 deposit and waited for word that it had arrived. Because it's Panama, I waited some more...and waited...and waited.
A casita to the rescue
We eventually finished construction on our house and moved in, despite not having power...not even solar. (We were prepared to wait months...it ended up being ONE YEAR! You can read about this insane adventure here).
Without power, we had zero options for internet. With power, we had two...1) the "NO INTERNET FOR YOU!" guy or 2) Starlink (when it eventually became available).
While we waited for Naturgy and Starlink, a tiny casita saved my business.
At first, the casita had no internet, so I used my mobile hot spot. By some bizarre miracle, Tigo graced me with 10 months of serious data usage while I designed graphics and websites and did online marketing for numerous clients. Clearly, someone wasn't paying attention...until they did.
POOF!...one day (without warning) my hotspot was temporarily shut down.
I scrambled to find a solution to hold me over until the next month when the casita would get hooked up (under the table) to fiber optic from the local telecom company.
When the surreptitious fiber optic cables were live, I was back in the casita with lightning fast internet...faster than I got on Google Fiber back in San Diego.
But, when the power went out, which was often, I got nada.
Over time, this happened more and more and I had to pack up and go to a local coffeehouse, restaurant, or pay for a desk at the digital nomad work center. It got to the point where the casita was a waste of hard-earned money.
Starlink (finally) arrives
Thankfully, Starlink arrived in Panama a short time later. I jumped at their introductory special: $250 for the equipment (router and satellite dish), which was 50% off their regular price of $500, and $52/month (reduced from $99/month).
I was able to run the Starlink router for at least six hours off of our 1300-watt electric power bank (an EcoFlow Delta Power Station - Battery Backup Portable Generator Model EFDELTA1300-AMk) without any problem. If I needed more time, we would recharge the power bank with our generator in just 20 minutes. (Our power bank has been a LIFESAVER! Highly recommend it.)
After a week of testing, I was thrilled. Starlink was WAY more reliable than the fiber optic internet at my office casita, so I gave my notice.
While Starlink's speeds were nowhere near the fiber optic, they were more than fast enough to do my work and stream movies on Netflix. Honestly, I don't notice too much difference.
Here's the Starlink speed test I did while I was writing this post:
Smooth sailing with Starlink
A few months later, in August 2023, we FINALLY got power to our house! And, it's been smooth sailing ever since.
The Starlink service rarely goes out. It's only happened several times during intense storms, and then it's only for a very short time. When the power goes out, I simply plug the router into my power bank and continue working.
I highly recommend Starlink for internet in Panama! It's been a game-changer for me, allowing me to work reliably from home without the instability, constant interruptions and "NO INTERNET FOR YOU!" worries that came with previous services.
How to Get Your Very Own Starlink Internet
If you're ready to sign up for Starlink, I've included a sign-up link below. DISCLAIMER: It may be an affiliate link! I appreciate you using it if you enjoy this blog, as I don't take money from anyone (readers OR service providers).
Here's how my process went:
- Completed my purchase of the satellite, mounting bracket, extender (if you want to stretch your primary satellite's reach), and subscription on the Starlink website. I was prompted to enter my credit card info for auto payment each month.
- For shipping, Starlink requires you to have a physical mailing address. I used Hot Express in the city at the recommendation of several other expats. You can reach them at +507 6780-8560 to get their mailing address and let them know you will be placing a Starlink order. If you live outside of the city, Hot Express will deliver it to the nearest Uno Express (for me, this was in Pedasí).
- When your equipment arrives at Hot Express, they will contact you and, if applicable, let you know the charge for shipping to your local Uno Express.
- Once my package arrived at Uno Express, I contacted a local guy who was mounting and setting up the satellite. (If you live in the Pedasí/Playa Venao area and you want his contact info, message me below!)
- Once it was installed and connected, Starlink began the service and my monthly billing began.
- Did a little happy dance when it worked like a charm!
I was a very early adopter…word has it that getting the equipment is much easier now, so ask your neighbors how they got theirs. And, check Spiegel!
Please share your experiences with Starlink in Panama in the comments below!
— Operation Expat
Don't let Panama's power fry your Starlink
Surges and brownouts can destroy pricey equipment like your new Starlink router. Here's how to protect everything in your home from Panama's unpredictable power.
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