Starlink Quietly Introduces Monthly Hardware Fee for New Subscribers
In a move that went unannounced, Starlink has added a monthly hardware fee for new subscribers across several markets, including Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK, France, and Mexico.
The fee applies to the standard dish provided with new Residential subscriptions, while existing subscribers remain unaffected for now.
In Australia, the hardware charge is set at A$15 per month, while customers in the United States will pay an additional US$10 each month. The change was implemented without a public announcement, appearing only in ordering pages for new customers.
This new fee follows recent subscription price increases for both Residential and Roam plans. In Australia, prices rose by between A$5 and A$11. For example, the Residential 100 Mbps plan increased from A$69 to A$75, and the 200 Mbps plan climbed from A$99 to A$110.
Starlink stated that the earlier price increases were necessary to support continued investment in network capacity, coverage, and reliability. The hardware fee is now part of a global pricing strategy.
Previously, Starlink provided hardware at no upfront cost, requiring customers to return the equipment upon cancellation. Under the new structure, new customers will pay a monthly fee for the equipment instead.