BFC Computing has been helping Upper Valley residents with their tough rural broadband needs since 2004.
Currently we are helping people with Starlink installs. Starlink is a low-Earth-orbit high-speed satellite service being built by SpaceX that is currently in beta testing. In the Upper Valley we are currently seeing speeds up up to 300/40Mbps and latencies are around 30ms. There are no data caps at this time. The monthly fee is $99. It is not yet available at all locations and will only work with a good view of the North sky until later in 2021. Speeds are expected to increase through 2023 to over 600Mbps. Shipping time on the hardware from SpaceX is approximately 4-6 weeks (once the equipment arrives we will schedule an installation).
BFC Computing has been working on the Plainfield Starlink project since June of 2020. We currently have over a twenty installs completed or underway on a wide variety of homes in the Upper Valley.
Note: BFC Computing is a local small-business computer consultancy, not SpaceX, and does not provide the Starlink service. SpaceX does not provide installation services nor does it recommend installers. BFC Computing receives neither commission nor recurring revenue for installations.
We are providing services for people who are not interested in doing a DIY installation. SpaceX currently charges approximately $600 for the Starlink “terminal” equipment. This a subsidized unit that costs about $2400 to manufacture. We can take care of the Starlink equipment ordering for you if you’d like.
We currently offer two tiers of installation packages: Standard and Basic, as detailed below. The fee schedule represents all of the required mounting hardware, equipment, tools, supplies, and our services, which are separate from the SpaceX charges. Additional needs or modifications, including outbuilding installation and additional time for difficult situations are available for a fair-priced fee—just ask!
Starlink Installation Fee Schedule
| Standard | Basic | |
| Pre-installation site visit to grade view, determine optimal location for mount, determine cable routing path. | yes | no |
| Installation with network engineer and assistant | up to eight man-hours | up to four man-hours |
| Heavy-duty galvanized gable-end mount and heavy-gauge mast. | yes | yes |
| Painted mast to match Starlink equipment | yes | no |
| Upgraded hardened-steel lags. | yes | no |
| Wall Penetration | ‘L’ box for drip-loop, sealant and duct seal | sealant-only |
| Cable ties | stainless steel | plastic |
| Cable clamps for neat cable routing | yes | yes |
| Ethernet extension cables, as needed. | yes | yes |
| Heavy-duty shielded Ethernet cables | yes | no |
| Sealant around interior cable penetrations. | yes | yes |
| Paintable grommets for interior cable penetrations | yes | no |
| Integration with existing home network, if needed | yes | no |
| Post-installation WiFi site survey w/ signal measurement and analysis | yes | no |
| Network extension, as needed (typical-sized house). | yes | no |
| Post-installation Starlink connection quality measurement and statistical analysis; re-aiming if needed. | yes | no |
| Cost | $1450 | $1250 |
Download a copy of the User Disclosure to make sure we’re all on the same page.