Starlink Issues Ultimatum to Users in Unapproved Countries: Move Home or Get Disconnected

Starlink is a global satellite internet constellation, with coverage virtually anywhere on Earth. SpaceX, Starlink’s parent company, launched the service back in late 2020. Their mission is to provide high-speed, low latency internet around the world, especially in areas where traditional broadband options are not available.

Starlink currently has more than 6,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, serving over 3 million customers worldwide. Although the coverage provided by the satellites is technically global, Starlink still has to seek approval from local governments before they can start providing services officially. But that hasn’t stopped users from getting online in unapproved areas.

One of the services offered by Starlink is the Mobile plan. It’s intended for travelers who need to stay connected on the go. Mobile (commonly referred to as Roam) comes in two flavors: Regional and Global. Mobile-Regional works anywhere within a customers home continent, while Mobile-Global extends coverage to any continent in the world.

To get around the approval process, some users have turned to these Mobile plans to get service in areas where Starlink is not technically allowed to operate. Although Starlink won’t sell equipment or plans in unapproved locations, that doesn’t stop people from ordering kits in other countries, and then importing them to use on the Mobile plan. For example, you can’t order Starlink in Namibia, but you can order it in Zambia, where the service is approved. If you obtain a kit in Zambia and sign up for Mobile-Regional, you are able to travel back and get internet in Namibia. Although the integrated GPS chip and Starlink satellites know exactly where your dish is at all times, Starlink doesn’t geo-lock their kits or services outside of a few exceptions.

The Mobile workaround might be coming to an end, though. Last night, Starlink started sending out emails to Mobile-Regional customers who have stayed in an unapproved location for too long. The email gives customers an ultimatum: Return to the country where you ordered Starlink, or we will cut off your internet access.

“If you have been using a “Mobile-Regional” plan for more than two months outside of the country in which you ordered Starlink, you must either see Support FAQ’s to change your account country or return to the country in which your service was ordered. Otherwise, starting 21 August 2024, you will be unable to connect to the internet except to access your Starlink account where you can make updates to your account.”

The Starlink team

The “two months” part of the email refers to a section of Starlink’s terms of service. That rule says travelers using the Mobile plan are only allowed to stay in a place for two months before moving on or returning home. Previously, Starlink has not enforced the two month rule.

According to the email, Mobile-Regional users in unapproved locations have until August 21st to return home or change the country on their account. For most people, this will be impossible. In many cases, the kits were purchased through 3rd party Starlink importers, who run a sort of black market in unapproved countries, where demand for Starlink is high. Customers can’t simply travel hundreds of miles to reset the clock. They also can’t change the country on their account because it is not an approved location. Furthermore, Starlink doesn’t even allow customers to change the country on their account, per the support FAQ’s referenced in the email:

“Changing your account service and shipping address to a different country than the country used upon sign up is not supported.“

“You can permanently transfer your Starlink onto a new account to any country Starlink is actively serving (starlink.com/map). Transferring your Starlink will cancel your current service and remove the corresponding Starlink hardware from your account. See transfer requirements here.”

Starlink Support FAQ’s

This leaves thousands of customers in a tough situation. One possible solution is to upgrade the subscription to Mobile-Global, which doesn’t appear to be a part of the recent scrutiny in unapproved countries. Mobile-Global is prohibitively expensive, though. In the United States, Mobile-Regional is $150/month, while Mobile-Global is $400/month.

There is still a chance that the Starlink’s ultimatum is just a bluff. Back in April of this year, Starlink issues a similar threat to Mobile users in unapproved countries. Although they set a deadline, it came and went without any mass disconnections. Mobile-Regional subscribers continued to have internet access in unapproved locations.

In any case, we won’t really know until August 21st. There are potentially thousands, even tens of thousands of Mobile-Regional customers who face their internet access being cut off. From Starlink’s perspective, they have to try to enforce the rules if they want to seek local government approvals. It’s a tough balancing act. On the one hand, official approval opens up easier access to Starlink services. Preventing unauthorized access in unapproved countries allows Starlink to negotiate with local governments in good faith. On the other hand, if people in currently unapproved locations have a workaround to get Starlink now, you can’t blame them for taking advantage of it.