Privacy Policy

1 · YOUR PRIVACY AT A GLANCE

StarTether is an independent Starlink companion created by Caleb Mann. This policy explains what stays on your device, what is sent to StarTether or another provider, and how to manage your information. StarTether is not operated by SpaceX or Starlink.

• Everyday app use does not require an account. New account registration and the public installer directory are paused. Existing account access and some account-editing tools remain available.
• New setup progress, tool records and Technician Mode records are stored locally. They do not automatically sync to StarTether’s servers or the website.
• Online features still involve data transmission. Network tests, Internet-provider lookups, content downloads, support requests and optional existing-account access contact online services.
• You control exports and sharing. Photos, reports, invoices and backups leave the app when you choose a sharing destination or use a device backup service.
• We do not sell personal information or use app data for targeted advertising. Measurement Lab’s public research dataset is a separate disclosure explained below.

2 · INFORMATION SAVED ON YOUR PHONE

The app saves guided installation choices and progress, saved results, System Check history, troubleshooting answers, dish-placement snapshots, cable plans and photos, sky scans, room and home geometry, Wi-Fi and mesh plans, stability sessions, and point-to-point plans on your device. These records may include connection details such as your Wi-Fi name, Internet provider, test measurements, timestamps, labels and coordinates you use in a tool.

Guide bookmarks, reading progress, news read/saved markers, cached content, sound and appearance preferences, and test-consent choices are also stored locally. AR camera images, room geometry and motion readings are processed on the device for the tool being used; StarTether does not automatically upload them.

Anyone with access to the unlocked app may be able to see local records. Losing your phone, deleting the app or clearing its data may remove them. Your Apple or device backup settings may create additional copies. StarTether cannot verify or restore those device backups. Ordinary tool reports are reference exports, not a backup that restores editable scanned homes on another phone.

3 · TECHNICIAN MODE, INVOICES & BACKUPS

Your technician name, company and business profile, customer names and contact details, job addresses, work orders, appointment information, notes, photos, attached tool results, inventory, mileage entries, expenses, estimates, invoices and recorded payments are saved in the local technician workspace. Entering a technician profile does not create an online StarTether account.

Invoice email and text actions open your device’s mail or messaging composer; sharing opens the system share sheet. When you proceed, the selected recipient and the email, messaging, storage or other service you choose receive the information and attachments you send. StarTether does not run an automatic invoice-delivery or payment-processing service for these local invoices.

You can export a password-encrypted technician backup, including supported records and attachments, and choose where to save it. StarTether does not automatically upload the backup and cannot recover its password. Anyone with the backup and password can access its contents. Unencrypted reports, invoice PDFs and other exports should be protected separately.

Deleting the technician workspace removes its local records and managed attachments and cancels its scheduled reminders. It does not delete copies already exported, sent to customers, saved to Photos or stored in a backup. Collect and share customer information only when you have permission or another appropriate basis to do so.

4 · NETWORK TESTS & INTERNET-PROVIDER LOOKUPS

Measurement Lab (M-Lab)

System Check and tools that reuse its speed test ask for M-Lab consent before testing and remember your choice on the phone. M-Lab receives your public IP address, test time, network measurements and software/environment metadata, and associates results with approximate IP-based location. It retains and publicly publishes test data indefinitely for Internet-performance research. A public IP address can be associated with a connection or person; this data is not anonymous.

StarTether does not add your technician records, customer details or photos to these tests. You can decline or avoid the test. Deleting a result in StarTether does not delete M-Lab’s copy or copies others have obtained. Review M-Lab’s privacy policy and data-rights instructions before testing.

Cloudflare connection checks

Latency, connection-stability and load checks can contact Cloudflare’s speed-test endpoints. Cloudflare receives your public IP address and request information as part of those connections. Its speed-test notice describes approximate location and network identification, IP truncation and sharing of anonymized measurements with measurement partners. See Cloudflare’s speed-test privacy notice and privacy policy. These requests are separate from M-Lab tests.

Identifying your Internet provider

The app contacts ipwho.is to identify your Internet provider and network. The provider receives your public IP address and ordinary request metadata. StarTether reads provider and network details from the response; this lookup does not send your GPS coordinates, saved photos or technician records. The provider may retain service logs under the IPWHOIS privacy policy.

These services operate online even when the result is saved only on your phone. Your operating-system location permission does not prevent an Internet service from seeing the public IP address used to contact it.

5 · DEVICE PERMISSIONS & LOCATION

• Camera and photos: used for AR previews, scans, screenshots, job evidence and images you select or capture. Denying access limits the related feature.
• Location and local network information: used when a supported tool needs your position, heading, Wi-Fi information or nearby connection details. Precise or approximate access is controlled by iPhone Settings and the app’s location preference. Coordinates saved in ordinary tools stay locally unless you share them or use another service.
• Motion and orientation: used for compass, leveling and AR guidance. These readings are processed on the device.
• Notifications: technician reminders can be scheduled locally when you allow notifications.
• Device authentication: an optional technician workspace lock uses the iPhone authentication system. StarTether does not receive your Face ID biometric template.

You can change permissions in iPhone Settings. Opening an external map, directions link or manufacturer service may pass the address or location included in that request to the service you choose. The website does not request your browser’s GPS location.

6 · EXISTING ACCOUNTS & EARLIER RECORDS

Although Accounts is absent from the main navigation, Settings still provides existing-account access and data retrieval. Signing in sends authentication information to Supabase, our account provider. Account data can include an email address, display or contact name, account ID, authentication records and previously saved systems, diagnostic history, favorites, notifications and preferences.

Some legacy screens still support online changes. When an existing user adds or edits a saved system or contact profile, system names, hardware and service-plan details, installation notes, location labels, contact names, city/region/country and postal codes can be saved to that account. Marking a notification read saves its read time. These records are linked to the account. This is separate from the local storage used by new tool results and Technician Mode.

Pausing the installer directory did not erase earlier listings, quote records, administrative records or billing history. Existing Stripe customer/subscription identifiers, subscription status and transaction records may remain for account administration and applicable obligations. Stripe handles payment-card information; StarTether does not store complete card numbers. This does not mean a technician invoice is processed by Stripe.

7 · SUPPORT, NEWS & WEBSITE SERVICES

Contacting us

Submitting Contact Support sends your name, email, selected reason and message to StarTether’s support database, together with your account ID when you are signed in. Website forms may also request optional contact or location details. We use the information to respond, investigate the issue and keep a support record. Include only information needed for your request; do not send Starlink passwords or complete payment-card details.

Guides, equipment and news

The app downloads guides, equipment content, news, images and selected content feeds from StarTether and Mann’s Installs services. The receiving servers and hosting providers see ordinary connection information such as the public IP address, requested resource, time and software headers. They may process logs for delivery, security and troubleshooting. Read and saved markers for app news are kept on the phone.

Opening an official announcement or another external link takes you to that provider’s service and privacy practices. StarTether does not receive your official Starlink account credentials. Guided setup and Smart Troubleshooter in version 1.3.20 do not send your photos or conversations to OpenAI.

Launch-update emails

If you subscribe to app-launch updates on the website, we store your email, signup and confirmation times, and consent version. Subscription requires email confirmation. Each announcement includes an unsubscribe option. An app news download does not subscribe you to marketing email.

8 · WEBSITE STORAGE, ANALYTICS & SECURITY LOGS

The website uses browser storage for sign-in sessions, intro and audio preferences, and analytics choices. Earlier directory or quote features may have left cached search information or temporary drafts in your browser.

Optional website analytics run only when your saved preference permits them. They can record page views, selected feature interactions, a random browser identifier, referring page, timestamp and limited browser information. The analytics-event database does not store raw IP addresses. Hosting and security systems still receive IP addresses, and abuse prevention can store a hashed identifier derived from an IP address with a short-lived request counter.

Existing account settings include analytics preferences. Clearing StarTether’s site data in your browser resets locally stored preferences and signs you out; it does not erase analytics events already retained. Optional website analytics are separate from the app’s M-Lab test consent and from server logs required to provide online services.

9 · HOW INFORMATION IS USED & SHARED

We use relevant information to provide requested features, authenticate existing users, respond to support requests, deliver content, administer earlier records and subscriptions, protect services, and meet applicable obligations. Optional website analytics help us understand use of the website. M-Lab’s research use is described in section 4.

• Supabase: authentication, existing account records and support storage.
• Cloudflare and hosting providers: website and content delivery, server functions, security, and the connection checks described above.
• Resend: transactional and confirmed subscription emails.
• Stripe: earlier business subscription and billing administration.
• M-Lab and IPWHOIS: network testing and provider lookup as described above.
• Services you choose: email, messaging, maps, cloud storage, sharing destinations and external websites receive the information needed for the action you initiate.

We may disclose relevant information when required by law, to protect users or the service, or during a legitimate business reorganization. Service providers may process information in the United States or other countries. StarTether does not use app data for cross-company advertising tracking or sell it to data brokers. Public research publication and user-directed sharing have the separate consequences explained in this policy.

10 · RETENTION, DELETION & YOUR CHOICES

Local app records

Delete individual records where a tool offers deletion, or use Settings → Privacy and location → Clear saved device tool records. This removes the ordinary local tool records covered by that control, including installation progress, scanned homes and recent System Checks. It keeps technician records, existing account copies, guide bookmarks, preferences and exported files. Use Technician Mode’s separate Delete technician workspace control for technician records.

Account and support records

Earlier account records are retained while needed for the account and related administration. You can use the existing-account controls to remove available saved systems, diagnostic history and notifications. Request full account deletion from the app’s Privacy and location settings or by contacting us. The in-app process submits a request rather than deleting the account immediately; processing can take up to seven days, with confirmation by email and an explanation of any information that must be retained.

Support, billing and administrative records may be retained for as long as reasonably needed to handle requests, protect the service, resolve disputes and satisfy legal or transaction-record obligations. Deleting an online account does not delete local technician files or another service’s copies.

Website and earlier service records

Optional website analytics events are removed after approximately 13 months. Unconfirmed launch signups expire after 24 hours and are removed during routine cleanup; confirmed subscriptions remain until you unsubscribe. Short-lived abuse-prevention counters are removed through routine cleanup.

Earlier quote retention rules remain applicable: a pending request expires after seven days, an installer response starts a new seven-day decision window, and accepted or denied quotes and their conversations are removed seven days after the decision. Retained request counts can include a listing identifier, date and non-readable request fingerprint, but not the expired customer snapshot or conversation.

Copies outside StarTether

Clearing app or website records does not recall shared invoices, email attachments, exported backups, device backups or third-party test data. Manage those copies with the recipient or provider. Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, export or delete information, restrict or object to processing, or withdraw an optional consent. Contact us to make a request; we may need to verify your identity. You may also contact your local data-protection authority where applicable.

11 · SECURITY & CHILDREN

We use encrypted network connections, account authentication and access controls to protect online records. Technician backup exports are password-encrypted; ordinary local databases and shared PDF reports are not the same as an encrypted backup. Protect your phone, account credentials, backup password and exported files. No storage or transmission method is perfectly secure.

StarTether is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to our online services, contact us so we can investigate and address it.

12 · POLICY CHANGES & CONTACT

We update this policy when our practices change and show the revised date above. Significant changes may also be communicated through the website, app or an appropriate notice. A future return of account or installer features will be reflected in the policy and related notices.

For privacy questions, access, correction or deletion requests, email support@startether.app or use the StarTether contact form. For records stored only on your phone, use the local controls described above; we cannot retrieve those records from a StarTether server.