Several Starlink customers have received a message stating that the company is conducting tests for a new satellite internet service that would allow them to "connect from almost anywhere on land in the world."
The new Global Roaming service, as the SpaceX-owned firm dubs it, will set you back an additional $200 monthly on top of the $599 Starlink Kit.
Worldwide Service
According to The Verge, the new Global Roaming service employs Starlink's inter-satellite connections, a.k.a. the space lasers, to deliver connectivity throughout the world.
It is marketed as a more flexible option for accessing the company's satellite internet when traveling internationally. Users have the same ability to pause Global Roaming as they have with the RV plan.
Users outside the US are "responsible for acting as the Importer of Record for the Starlink Kit."
It is yet unclear whether or not Starlink will provide subscribers with prioritized internet access. The buyer is responsible for ensuring the Kit is legal in their country and for all import fees or taxes associated with the purchase.
Possible Drawback
However, this service comes with a significant catch.
Users are advised to anticipate Starlink's regular high-speed, low-latency service intermixed with short intervals of poor connection, or none at all, but that the situation would improve drastically over time.
It is unclear how Starlink plans to deliver on its claim to make the internet accessible almost everywhere.
Although it is accessible in certain countries, such as the US, Starlink is not yet available in others, including Cambodia, India, and Pakistan. Despite this, PCMag claims that Starlink is providing Global Roaming to customers who are located in places like Greenland, which are not inside the provider's normal service footprint.
Area Restrictions
Starlink now allows customers to take their dishes, nicknamed Dishy, with them wherever they go, but the Global Roaming service may have fewer restrictions.
For example, the current Starlink RV plan that costs $135 a month allows customers to outfit their recreational vehicles with Starlink's hardware for internet access while on the road. Customers can upgrade to an even more expensive dish for internet access on the move.
Yet, it is not accessible everywhere, and, unlike with residential users, you will not get the same level of priority while connecting.
Meanwhile, the $25 per month Portability add-on for residential clients only allows them to take their Dishy with them if they are traveling within their continent. This, however, forces them to change their permanent address if they are abroad for a lengthy period of time.
For those who need monthly internet connectivity while at sea, there is the insanely costly Maritime package they can avail of. This costs $5,000.
