Starlink 2025, here we go again

I’ve run out of ways to say that Starlink changes things a lot. My most frequent refrain about SpaceX’s low earth orbit satellite internet offering is the only constant is change. For a while, it looked like they were going to make a liar out of me. We haven’t seen much change recently. But fear not! Starlink is back with another round of major changes. This time those changes affect their mobile priority data and plans and most notably, eliminate unlimited high speed data from those offers.

Until very recently, Starlink’s mobile plans with unlimited data consisted of two basic options: Roam and Mobile Priority. Additionally, when Starlink Introduced the introduced the Mini, they added a $50 Roam plan with data limited to 50 gigabytes and now a $10 plan with 10 gigabytes of data. Both the $165 Roam unlimited plan and the $250 Mobile Priority plan (including 50 gigabytes of priority data) offered unlimited land based usage and the ability to buy priority data on a per gigabyte basis. Priority data both increases your priority on the network — likely resulting higher speed — and allows for use in what SpaceX terms Ocean waters. However, after the most recent round of updates, service plans that include access to priority data no longer include unlimited non-priority data.

Roam loses opt-in priority data

Except for removing access to priority data, Roam, remains largely unchanged. Roam offers connectivity primarily on land and within the teritorial waters of your country of service. Typically, that’s water out to about 12 miles. For $165 a month, you receive unlimited data within those coverage areas. As is pretty typical for Starlink, their website is behind their service offerings. Although the plan FAQ only references the unlimited and 50GB plans, there are also 10 and 20 gigabyte plans offered in some areas. On a numbers basis, I believe Roam accounts for the vast majority of active service for boaters.

The same FAQ section shown prevoiously also includes the notes shown above. These notes do clarify a few questions you might have. I think most importantly, for the 10, 20, and 50 gigabyte plans are the notes that once data is exhausted, you are limited to accessing your Starlink account to add more data. Starlink publishes Roam overages in a PDF by country. Additionally, the notes make clear that there is no “ocean use” though territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles are still supported.

Two priorities, only one for boaters

With the most recent round of changes, there are now two priority plans: Local and Global. It appears to me that Local Priority is aimed at businesses requiring service across a continent with potential mobile use.

Notably, Local Priority does not include coverage in territorial waters. That means boaters requiring coverage outside of territorial waters require a Global Priority plan. I think the last sentence in the above FAQ is outdated information in light of the new changes.

Compared to previous Starlink options, Global Priority doesn’t come cheap! The plan requires a terminal access fee of $150 per month. That terminal access fee includes no high-speed data, but the plan requires the purchase of at least one 50 or 500 gigabyte block. So, the effectively, Global Priority costs a minimum of $250 per month with 50 gigabytes of data included. After exhausting the initial 50 gigabytes, service reverts to 1 megabit per second download and 512k kilobytes per second upload. Subscribers can either opt in for automatic top-ups in which adds additional 50gb blocks of data as used, or subscribers can purchase additional blocks of 500 gigabytes.

50 gigabyte blocks are $2.00 per gigabyte while the 500 gigabyte blocks are $1.00 per gig. Previously, all mobile priority data was billed at $2.00 per gigabyte but in one gig increments. Now, if you’re willing to commit to 500 gigs at a time, mobile priority data costs half as much. Realistically, that means that if you’re going to use over 250 gigabytes, a 500 gig block makes more sense. So, some users may see their costs go down, especially those consuming a lot of data in open ocean waters.

One bit of good news, I don’t foresee any boaters exceeding Global Priority’s 550 mile per hour maximum speed. The not so good news? The new pricing plans will likely increase the cost of Starlink substantially for those who cruise outside of territorial waters. The impact will probably be felt most accutately by those who cruise outside territorial waters occasionally and then spend big chunks of time in areas where a Roam plan would provide adequate service. For those cruisers, I think the most cost effective solution will probably be two terminals. One subscribed to a Roam plan for use inside territorial waters and another with Global Priority, reserved for those times when the boat is outside territorial waters.

While we are talking about two terminals, I should note that Global Priority plans do allow for two terminals on one account, consuming the same pool of data. For boats where superstructure potentially blocks the terminal’s view, two terminals can work around those obstructions. Two terminals can be used for just the cost of purchasing the second terminal.

What are Ocean Waters?

Previously, the question of what constitutes, land, coastal, and open ocean waters has been a little unclear. Fortunately, Starlink has gotten quite crisp in their definition and makes it much easier to understand the classifications.

Final thoughts

Starlink’s appetite for change is immense. Every time I sit down to write an update, I find myself pouring back over old articles. That trip back a few years leaves me lamenting the loss of the simplicity we used to have. Starlink launched with a single service plan and a $15.00 per month add on for mobility. Look how far we’ve come! The good news is that the service has advanced and coverage is far better than it was just a few short years ago. The bad news, it can be a full time job keeping up with all the changes and understanding them. I try to chime in with major updates here, but also allow me a plug for the Mobile Internet Resource Center and the work they do keeping up with all the twists and turns.