Starlink has a pricey new plan to stop scalpers

There’s now another reason to buy a Starlink kit from an authorized reseller. | Photo by Nilay Patel / The VergeIn an effort to stop resellers from buying dishes in one region — where the hardware is cheaper —...

Troov Troov
Aug 23, 2024 - 21:02
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Starlink has a pricey new plan to stop scalpers

In an effort to stop resellers from buying dishes in one region — where the hardware is cheaper — and selling them in another, Starlink is imposing a new “outside region fee” for its satellite internet kits activated “outside of the region they were originally sold in.”

Starlink has designated these six specific regions as the US and Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania. The company only says “it is possible” the fee will be applied to activations — not a guarantee — but it’s steep enough to be a discouragement.

For the Standard and Standard Actuated kits, the fee is $200, but for the Starlink Mini, it’s $300. That’s in US currency, but Starlink also warns the fee “may be applied in USD or local currency,” which could make it even more expensive based on the currency exchange. The company has shared a breakdown of which countries will be charged the fee in US or local currencies.

To avoid the fee, Starlink recommends purchasing the dishes either directly from the company or an “authorized retailer within your region.”