Want to use your Starlink dish on a moving boat or car? According to Dish Network, you should be booted from the network.
On Monday, Dish pushed the FCC to force SpaceX to deactivate Starlink customers who have installed the satellite internet system on moving boats and cars, calling the activity illegal. “The Commission should make clear to SpaceX that continued unauthorized mobile use of Starlink terminals will not be tolerated,” Dish wrote in a letter to the FCC.
The letter is part of a growing feud between the two companies over the fact that SpaceX has not yet secured an FCC license to operate Starlink dishes in the US on moving vehicles, including boats and planes. SpaceX's own website notes that using Starlink in motion is not allowed. Nevertheless, some customers have tried Starlink on moving RVs and boats and posted about the performance on social media.
Dish has been complaining about the unauthorized use since May over concerns Starlink will interfere with its own satellite TV system. But on Monday, Dish called on both SpaceX and the FCC to crack down on the problem through customer account deactivations.
“Specifically, SpaceX should be ordered to: disclose whether and how it can identify operations in motion on its system; demonstrably deactivate accounts that use its antennas when in motion,” Dish wrote in the letter.
The company also questions if SpaceX has ever terminated a subscriber account for using Starlink on a moving vehicle since its own customer agreement prohibits it. “If SpaceX announces that it will deactivate ESIM (earth station in motion) operations and in fact does so, this will go a long way towards addressing Dish’s concerns,” the company added.
SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But in a letter sent to the FCC last week, the company urged the commission to go in the other direction and quickly approve its application to operate Starlink dishes on moving vehicles. SpaceX also accused Dish Network of orchestrating “publicity stunts” in an effort to undermine Starlink, which is vying for the same 12GHz 5G radio spectrum Dish wants.
“Dish has made clear that it will continue these time-wasting antics so long as the Commission fails to close the 12GHz proceeding or to grant SpaceX’s applications to provide high-throughput, low-latency broadband service to American consumers in motion,” SpaceX wrote.
The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the meantime, the cruise line operator Royal Caribbean is also asking the FCC to approve SpaceX's license to operate the Starlink dishes on vehicles in motion.