Accessing Starlink hardware in Australia will work a bit differently, as the satellite internet provider starts charging a $15 monthly rental fee.
It appears to be a move away from purchasing Starlink hardware outright, timed ahead of parent company SpaceX’s scheduled IPO, which is expected to raise billions. Last year, Starlink started offering its kit with no upfront costs when bundled with one of its internet plans.
Now, when placing an order directly through Starlink’s website for one of its residential plans, a $15-per-month “Monthly Kit Fee” is applied at checkout. With Starlink’s cheapest 100Mbps plan priced at $75, the total ongoing cost ends up being $90 per month.
In exchange, you get access to the Standard 4 Kit for the duration of your plan. If you cancel, you need to return the hardware or purchase it outright. At the time of writing, customers who choose Starlink’s Roam option, which allows for on-the-go access while travelling, can still purchase either a Starlink Mini ($399) or Standard Kit ($549) outright.
According to Starlink’s support site, customers can purchase hardware instead of renting. However, it requires the extra step of creating a support ticket to make the request, with renting the default residential option.
Several major Australian retailers currently sell Starlink hardware, including Telstra and JB Hi-Fi. Included with the kit are a dish antenna, a router, and the cabling required to get everything up and running. Because Starlink relies on low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity, you need the company’s hardware to access its internet plans.
Recent reporting suggested that roughly 200,000 Australians use Starlink, while government officials have raised concerns about relying on satellite internet owned by an overseas company. Meanwhile, NBN Co is working with Amazon to bolster its satellite internet coverage via the Amazon Leo service.
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