How to Get Internet & Phone Signal Off-Grid
There are three main ways for how to get internet and phone signal off-grid in the UK: satellite broadband like Starlink, a 4G or 5G router with an external antenna, or an Ofcom-approved booster for a weak phone signal. Which suits you comes down to how remote you are, and whether you stay put or move around.
Satellite broadband, like Starlink
Satellite is what changed off-grid life, because it works almost anywhere with a clear view of the sky, however far you are from the nearest phone mast.
In the UK the standard kit is a one-off £299, with home plans from around £50 a month for 100 Mbps, plus a Roam plan aimed at vans and boats that move around.
For now Starlink is the only satellite service most people can afford, but rivals are starting to appear, so it is worth expecting more choice, and hopefully lower prices, over the next few years.
The catch when you are living off-grid is power, because a dish draws roughly 50 to 75 watts, so you need enough solar and battery to keep it running. Our voltage guide covers that side of it.
A 4G or 5G router
If you have any usable mobile coverage, a 4G or 5G router is the cheaper and more power-friendly route to getting internet and phone signal while off grid.
You put a data SIM in the router, add an external antenna up high or on a mast to pull in a distant signal, and share it over Wi-Fi. Unlimited data SIMs are easy to come by, and the whole thing sips far less power than a satellite dish. The one thing to watch is that it lives or dies by local coverage, so test the signal on the actual plot rather than in the nearest town.
Keep a backup for when the signal drops
Even a good connection falls over now and then, so most people who work off-grid keep a second way online.
A data eSIM on a different network, such as Honest, is a cheap and simple backup you can switch to when your main signal fails, with no extra hardware to carry. If you move around a lot, having two networks between your router and your phone covers most of the country between them.
Boosting a weak phone signal, legally
For calls and texts rather than data, a mobile signal booster can lift a weak signal indoors, and here the law genuinely matters.
In the UK you may only use a repeater that meets Ofcom’s licence-exempt rules, which cover approved indoor devices across 2G to 5G. Compliant boosters are legal to buy and fit yourself, but the cheap imported ones that fail those rules are illegal, because they interfere with the networks everyone else relies on.
Frequently asked questions
How much data do you need to work off-grid?
Video calls and large file transfers use the most, so an unlimited plan takes the worry away. If you are on a capped SIM, downloading big files overnight and turning your camera off on long calls stretches your allowance a surprisingly long way.
Does Starlink work in bad weather?
Mostly, yes. Very heavy rain or snow can cause brief drops, but the dish is built for British weather and can even warm itself to shed snow. A clear, unblocked view of the sky matters far more to your connection than the odd downpour.
Can you get internet on a narrowboat or in a van?
Yes. Starlink’s Roam plan is made for homes that move, and a 4G router with a decent antenna works well on the water or the road. Signal changes as you travel, so many liveaboards and van-lifers run both and switch to whichever is stronger that day.
Is off-grid internet fast enough for streaming?
Usually, yes. Starlink comfortably handles HD streaming and video calls, and a strong 4G or 5G signal will too. The main limits are a sky blocked by trees or hills for satellite, or simply weak mobile coverage for a router.