Starlink’s Shocking Price Hike Sparks Reddit Reaction

Internet for the home is hard enough to find, but on the go and international? Options are next to none.

So when Starlink introduced its Mobile Global plan, with decent speeds and unlimited data for use virtually everywhere, it was the perfect solution for boaters, digital nomads and others who wanted an internet connection that followed them wherever they traveled.

At $200 per month, service wasn't cheap, but for many, it was well worth the cost. Starlink recently and abruptly doubled the price, however, to the ire of many who were enrolled in the plan. Mobile Global customers received notification last week that their monthly rate will double later this year, on Aug. 16. The new price, soaring from $200 to $400, is effective immediately for new customers.

Customers were understandably taken aback by the extreme and unexpected increase, with some turning to Reddit to voice their frustration. Other Starlink customers were relieved to find the price hike is specific to one plan, not all Starlink services.

Why the price increase?

Starlink hasn’t yet stated the reason behind the increase, why it was so high, or if other price increases are to come. The provider attributes “limited capacity” to a recent $30 rate increase on its Standard plan in select areas, but I doubt that’s the case with the Mobile Global plan.

Pricing on other roaming plans seems to be stable for now, and network capacity can vary when moving from one location to another -- as one would with a roaming connection.

It’s possible Starlink is eliminating the Mobile Global plan. The same service, but with 50GB of priority data, is available for $250 a month, $150 less than the new Mobile Global rate.

Starlink also appears to have removed Mobile Global from its plan selection. Aside from the location-specific $30 rate increase to the Standard plan, pricing on other Starlink plans remains the same, at least for now.

Starlink didn't immediately respond to a request to confirm its current plan pricing.

What is the Mobile Global plan?

Starlink’s personal internet plans are separated into two categories, on location or roaming, and then further divided by standard or priority data. 

Mobile Global is a roaming plan intended for international use that comes with standard unlimited data. It's ideal for those who live on a boat or RV and frequently travel internationally. Until recently, it was the cheapest plan to offer global roaming at $200, now $400, per month.

Surely if one can afford to live on a boat or as a nomad, they can afford the extra cost, right? That's what I (ignorantly) thought. After briefly browsing comments in the Reddit thread, I discovered that many boaters live on a limited budget. Internet, specifically from Starlink, is often one of their biggest monthly costs. For many, the price increase further strains an already burdened budget.

Upgrade to Mobile Priority, it's cheaper

Starlink’s Mobile Priority plans also include global roaming, plus a chunk of priority data that grants users network prioritization until the data pool is depleted. Once that happens, service falls to the standard unlimited tier -- the same as Mobile Global -- for the rest of the billing cycle.

The Mobile Priority 50GB plan is, as of this writing, $250 per month. That’s $150 less than the new cost of Mobile Global, and service comes with 50GB of priority data each month. 

For new customers, choosing Mobile Priority 50GB over Mobile Global is a no-brainer. As for current Mobile Global customers, I'd recommend switching to Mobile Priority 50GB (that is, if you aren't already set on canceling your internet) before the new rate goes into effect in August.

Granted, the plan upgrade means conceding to a $50 monthly increase compared with what you've been paying, but at least it comes with the bonus of 50GB priority data. Even without the data, $50 more per month is much better than accepting the impending $200 increase.