SpaceX Starlink Roam Users Fume Over $5 Monthly ‘Standby Mode’ Charge, Former Free Pause Feature Abolished
SpaceX is discontinuing the free service pause feature for Starlink Roam and Priority subscribers, replacing it with a $5-per-month “standby mode.” Customers who have previously utilized the paused mode are receiving emails to opt into the new standby mode or risk losing their paused service line.
Under standby mode, subscribers will receive “unlimited low-speed data,” ensuring their dish remains connected throughout each month. However, internet speeds will be capped at 500kbps. The new policy is set to take effect in 30 days.
While SpaceX positions standby mode as an upgrade, it essentially requires customers to pay $5 per month for a service that was previously free.
The change has sparked frustration among some Roam subscribers, particularly those who use their Starlink dishes on the go, such as during camping trips and RV journeys. Previously, Roam subscribers could pause their monthly internet service at no extra cost, which costs $165 per month or $50 for 50GB of data. Now they’ll need to pay more.
“Looks like another rate hike, without calling it a rate hike. Now they get an extra $60/year,” one Starlink user commented on Facebook.
“I only need the service for two months a year… Now I should pay for a service that I don’t need or want? I will refuse,” added another user on X.
Many affected subscribers also own the $499 Starlink Mini dish, available exclusively in the US with a Roam plan. One Reddit user claimed, “Starlink is pulling a classic bait-and-switch” after revoking the free pause feature.
“Many people bought the Mini on the premise that the pause feature effectively makes it pay as you go,” wrote another user. “Now we have to pay a minimum of $60 a year just to own something we might not use??? How is this legal?”
The policy change also raises questions about potential workarounds, such as letting subscriptions lapse and re-subscribing later. Some users speculate SpaceX may introduce reactivation fees, alluded to in a Starlink support page discussing a “Roam activation charge.”
“The additional charge depends on the service plan you choose and/or the Starlink kit you select. This charge will only apply if you are purchasing or activating a new service plan,” one of the support pages states. SpaceX has yet to respond to requests for comment.
The change also affects some Roam subscribers who report losing access to Starlink’s $10-per-month plan, which offered 10GB of data.
Despite the controversy, some users welcome the new standby mode, citing how the 500Kbps download and upload rate meet their basic internet needs. “This new $5 plan is actually pretty good. Totally unlimited anywhere anytime at 2g speeds. I can text, run my navigation equipment, webcams and even browse the internet all fine. Speed is about 0.6mbps,” wrote one user on Reddit.
A Starlink support document indicates that the company will continue to offer the free pause mode in certain markets, including parts of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The same document notes that the paid standby mode is available to subscribers on the Residential plan, but warns, “Pausing with Standby Mode does not reserve your spot on a Residential plan. If your area is at capacity when you try to resume, you may not be able to reactivate your previous Residential plan.”
