Starlink is testing a new satellite Internet service that it says will allow it to “connect from almost anywhere in the world,” according to a message. some Starlink users have received. The SpaceX-owned company calls it “Global Roaming Service” and says it will cost $200 per month on top of the basic $599 Starlink kit.
The service, which uses “Starlink’s inter-satellite links (also known as space lasers) to provide worldwide connectivity,” comes with a pretty big caveat. In its message to users, Starlink notes that you should expect “Starlink’s typical high-speed, low-latency service mixed with brief periods of poor connectivity, or none at all,” but that this “will improve dramatically over time.”
It’s also not immediately clear how Starlink will deliver on its promise to provide Internet from almost anywhere. Starlink is still awaiting regulatory approval in several countries, including India, Pakistan, and Cambodia, and is not available in others. Despite this, PC Mag reports that Starlink is offering the Global Roaming service to some users outside the company coverage areaslike Greenland.
While Starlink already allows users to travel with their dishes (nicknamed “Dishy”), it seems that the Global Roaming service could have fewer limitations. The existing $135-per-month Starlink RV plan, for example, allows users to outfit their RVs with Starlink hardware to access the Internet on the go, and comes with the option of an even more expensive dish to access the Internet on the go. travels. But it is only available in certain parts of the globeand Internet access is not prioritized as it is for residential customers, resulting in slower speeds.
Starlink makes the Global Roaming plan sound like a freer way to travel the world while using the company’s satellite internet. Like the VR plan, users can pause the Global Roaming service at any time. However, we don’t yet know if Starlink will give priority internet access to users who sign up for the plan and, as Starlink noted, users outside of the US.” This means that customers will need to ensure that the Kit complies with the local laws and regulations, as well as pay customs duties and import taxes.