Starlink is testing a new satellite internet service that will allow you to “connect from almost anywhere in the world,” according to a post 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 $599 Starlink Kit.
The service, which “uses Starlink’s inter-satellite links (aka space lasers) to provide connectivity around the world,” 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 short periods of poor connectivity, if any at all,” but that this will “improve dramatically over time.”
It is also not immediately clear how Starlink will fulfill its promise to offer internet everywhere. Starlink is still awaiting regulatory approval in several countries, including India, Pakistan, and Cambodia, and is completely unavailable in others. Despite this, PCMag reports that Starlink offers the Global Roaming service to some users outside of the coverage areas of the companylike Greenland.
While Starlink already lets users travel with their dishes (nicknamed “Dishy”), it sounds like the Global Roaming service has fewer restrictions. For example, the existing $135 per month Starlink RV plan allows users to equip their RVs with Starlink hardware for internet access while traveling, and offers the option of an even more expensive dish for internet access on the go. But it is only available in certain parts of the worldand Internet access is not prioritized as it is for residential customers, resulting in slower speeds.
Starlink makes the Global Roaming plan sound like a more untethered way to travel the world while using the company’s satellite internet. As with the RV subscription, users can pause the Global Roaming service at any time. However, we still don’t know if Starlink will give priority internet access to users who sign up for the plan, and as noted by Starlink, users outside of the US are “responsible for acting as the importer of record for the Starlink kit.” This means that customers must ensure that the kit complies with local laws and regulations, as well as paying customs duties and import taxes.
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