Starlink has changed the name of their portable service from Starlink RV to Starlink Roam. Regional Roam is just like the previous RV plan, which enabled you to use Starlink anywhere within your own continent. Global Roam enables you to use Starlink anywhere with active Starlink coverage, across multiple continents. This new global roaming service allows your Starlink dish to connect to satellites virtually anywhere on land in the world.
The previous Starlink RV and Portability add-on allowed continental travel, but Starlink Global Roam enables inter-continental travel without many of the restrictions applied to the other portability tiers. In this article, I am going to tell you everything you need to know about Starlink Roam. I will cover what it is, what it costs, how it works, and who it would be a good fit for.
What Is Starlink Roam?
Starlink Roam is a service plan from Starlink that enables on land travel with a Starlink dish. There are two options for Starlink Roam: Regional Roam, and Global Roam. Starlink Roam is Starlink’s portable service product line, and it is the new name for Starlink RV. Starlink satellites cover nearly all land on Earth, but the service is still available based on regulatory approval. You can check for up-to-date coverage information on the Starlink availability map.
Both Roam services come with a Standard Starlink hardware kit. Regional Roam has an option to upgrade to the Flat High Performance hardware for in-motion use. The Standard equipment is identical to the equipment sold with Residential. Contents of the kit include the Starlink dish, stand, router, and cables. Find out more about what comes with a Starlink kit here.
Starlink Roam Cost
The hardware kit for Global Roam costs $599, and you will pay $200 per month for the service. Global Roam can be paused so that you aren’t billed when it’s not in use. There are no contracts required, and customers can return the kit within 30 days for a full refund if they are not satisfied. Regional Roam (formerly Starlink RV) costs $150/month, with the hardware kit starting at $599.
You can also transfer previously used Starlink equipment into a new Global Roam or Regional Roam account. For details on this process, check out our guide on transferring and activating service for a used dish.
How Does Global Roaming Work?
The technology that allows global roaming to work is the inter-satellite links that have been going into service on the newer generations of Starlink satellites. Also known as the ‘space lasers’, these inter-satellite laser links allow for incredibly fast satellite to satellite communication. Global connectivity is achieved by reducing the amount of ground stations required to send data to the internet.
Before the space lasers, data was sent to the internet only via Starlink ground stations. Since there aren’t ground stations in every country, some areas of the globe were simply too far away from ground stations to be reliably serviced. The laser links allow data to be sent from satellite to satellite, through the Starlink constellation, and then to the optimal ground station. This enables low latency, high speed internet virtually anywhere on Earth.
Who Is It For?
At $200/month, Global Roam isn’t exactly cheap compared to most internet plans. In my opinion, Global Roaming will be best for international travelers or organizations who require Starlink service on multiple continents. Starlink Regional Roam is still available for $50/month cheaper, and will appeal to people who don’t need to travel between continents.
If connectivity is important to you on land, across the globe, Global Roam is a great value. There aren’t any other providers that offer global coverage with low latency and high speeds. My guess is that a lot of non-profits, businesses, and other organizations who operate in many different locations around the world will be the first to utilize this new service.
Regular domestic travelers, which includes most RV’ers, overlanders, campers, etc., will still find the best value with Regional Roam. With Regional Roam, you still have the ability to travel within an entire continent, you just can’t cross into another one.
Regional Roaming vs Global Roaming
You may be wondering, what’s the difference between Regional and Global Roaming? The first major difference is that Global Roam doesn’t have travel restrictions like the Regional plan. Starlink Regional Roam is limited to use within the same continent as the customers shipping address. Global Roam doesn’t have that restriction, so it can be used globally on virtually any continent.
The other difference is cost. Starlink Regional Roam costs $150/month, while Global Roam costs $200/month. The equipment cost for both services is the same at $599.
Finally, the last important distinction between Regional and Global Roam is that the in-motion, Flat High Performance hardware is not available for Global Roaming. The in-motion Starlink hardware can only be purchased on the Regional Roam plan.
What Speeds Do I Get With Starlink Roam?
Both Starlink Roam plans (Regional and Global) are deprioritized on the Starlink network. That means in times of network congestion, performance may suffer compared to Residential and Business Starlink customers in the area. That said, Starlink says Roam customers will get between 5-50 mbps download speeds, and 2-10 mbps upload speeds.
It’s also important to note that the Starlink satellite constellation isn’t yet finished. Starlink says that Global Roam customers should expect higher latency and regular service interruptions. Global roaming, as of right now, is a best effort kind of service. As more laser links come online, reliability and performance will improve. Regional Roam customers, who are typically in areas with existing Starlink ground stations, will have less of an issue with interruptions and reliability.
How Do I Order?
You will find the Roam service on the Starlink.com website, under the Roam menu. From there, enter your shipping address. Then, pick whether you want the standard Portable or the Mobile hardware (Mobile is not available with Global Roam). Finally, select Regional or Global Roam.
Finish filling out your information, and place the order. Billing starts 14 days after your order ships. You have up to 30 days from delivery to return your Starlink kit for a full refund.
How To Switch Between Global And Regional Roam
Starlink makes it pretty easy to switch between the Global and Regional Roam plans. Let’s say you typically only travel with Starlink in the US, but you have an upcoming trip to South America. You can switch to Global Roam to be able to use your dish outside of North America, and then switch back to the cheaper Regional plan when you return.
To switch between Global and Regional, log in to your Starlink.com account portal. Click Manage next to your Roam plan. Then click Change Service Plan. Choose between Regional, Global, and even the entry-level Maritime plan if you need to use Starlink at sea.
Restrictions With Starlink Roam
The two month restriction remains in place for both Starlink Roam plans. Starlink says that users who stay in one country for more than 2 months will need to update their registered address:
3.3 Limitation and Requirements for Starlink Roaming Users. Starlink Roaming Services is a consumer product only and is not available for purchase or use by commercial, enterprise, or governmental users. If you use Starlink Roaming Services for more than two months in a country that is different than your shipping address, Starlink may require you to move your registered address to your new location. Starlink does not guarantee when or where Starlink Roaming Services will be available. Starlink Roaming Services are dependent on many factors, including obtaining or maintaining the necessary regulatory approvals which are subject to change. Find a list of authorized territories (marked “Available or Waitlist”) on Starlink map: www.starlink.com/map.
Starlink Roaming Terms of Service
According to Starlink, the ‘registered address’ mentioned above is only for tax and billing purposes. So if you originally ordered Roam in Mexico, but stay in Canada for more than 2 months, the address on your Starlink account could update to Canada for tax and billing purposes. If the new country has a higher subscription cost, you may see your monthly bill increase.
Final Thoughts
The branding from Starlink RV to Starlink Roam came as a surprise to me and most Starlink fans. But after digging through the details and writing this article, I already feel confident that it was a smart move. After all, customers are using the portable Starlink service for way more than just RV’s. I feel that the new Roam name reflects the possibilities of the service even better than before.
The global roaming feature available with Starlink Roam is going to be a hit for many international travelers and organizations. Now you won’t have to worry about where you buy the equipment. You just buy it once and go, without worrying about straying outside of the original continent you purchased it in.
Do you find the features of Global Roam appealing for your situation? Is $200/month a reasonable price for this feature for the ability to travel globally? I would love to know your thoughts in the comments!
Hi I am thinking of joining Starlink but have read some conflicting info on the internet.
BTW this site is so informative thank you.
So if we purchased the kit and link up in the UK I presume we will get a UK IP.
We also have a mobile inbthe south of France that we visit 3 to 4 times a year for periods of up to 4 weeks max.
Can I transport my hardware down and set it up each time we go?
Will that work on a temporary basis or will they disconnect the service?
Also will the IP remain as UK or will it change to a French one? (Needing a VPN).
I have checked and the service is available to order in my French address
Thanks in advance
If you order the portable service plan (Roam/Mobile) you can travel between the UK and France without an issue. Just pack it up and go, it works anywhere within Europe (or globally if you select the Global plan). Your IP will come from whatever POP you are connected to, usually coming from a major city inside the country you are located. So it would be a French IP while in France.
does starlink roam pause and resume in 30 day increments? meaning you pay then pause 15 days in then you have another 15 days left?
Yes, that is correct.
Thanks for the good information. If I buy a Starlink V2 kit from eBay (reputable seller), do I just select Roam when I activate it since the hardware is the same?
Yes, when you receive the equipment and kit#, just head to Starlink.com, select the Roam page, and enter your shipping address to start the order. When you get to the order page, check the “I already have my Starlink” box, enter the kit#, and continue filling out the form. If successful, you will just owe the monthly service fee price, no equipment costs.
Does Roam have its own router to produce the wifi signal? Do you connect it into a traditional router?
Roam is the same equipment as Standard (Residential). It will come with a Wifi router that the dish plugs in to. You don’t need your own router unless you want to add one.
Excellent article. I do have a StarLink in motion package. I was using it on my boat going up and down the east coast. Received a email saying that I had to switch plans to the maritime with the 50 gigs. I wanted to know if my unit will still work after I use the 50 gigabytes or do I have to opt in to pay for the extra. It doesn’t seem right if you don’t use them they don’t roll over but you have to pay for extra. Hopefully they can come up with a better plan.
Starlink has started enforcing the location limitations of the plans. So after you have used your Mobile Priority data, you won’t have any connection except for on land, where you will get unlimited Mobile data. It seems as though their geo-fencing is pretty accurate, so it probably won’t work after 50GB on the coastal waters.
We have Starlink Roam for our RV $170CDN. Should I opt-in for the Mobile Priority Data charged per GB? I can’t seem to find a rate comparison on the internet.
Only if you need in-motion use with the Flat High Performance dish, or you want higher priority on the Starlink network for faster speeds during peak hours. In my opinion, it’s not worth it unless you are experiencing performance issues with your current service and want more consistency.
I notice that residential has now dropped to $199.00 for the hardware but roam is still at $350.00. Can I purchase residential and switch to roam later? This is for my cabin in Canada and I only need it for the summer. I could save money on the hardware if they will allow that.
Yes, you can switch service plans at any time from the Starlink account dashboard.
Very informative. Is it possible to buy a Starlink kit in the UK but with the registered country/address as Rwanda and the subscription for Rwanda set on regional roaming?
The continent restriction is based on the shipping address. So if you had it shipped to the UK, you would need Global Roam to use it in Rwanda.
Starlink is officially available in Rwanda..Why would you order in the UK only to get all these geo fencing bruhaha
Great article. Do you know if Global Roaming will work in areas marked “Starting in 2023”?
Answered my own question using your link to Starlink coverage!
My area of interest is labelled as “No Coverage” so based upon your response to Austin, Global Roam will not work there.
Thank you!
It depends on the regulations in the specific countries where Starlink isn’t active. In some places that don’t actively seek to block Starlink users from operating in the country, it will work, because the satellites offer global coverage. But to be on the safe side, refer to the Starlink Roam coverage map and go off of that. Using it in places with no official coverage should be done at your own risk (i.e it’s not guaranteed to work).
Thanks for the article! Curious to see if Roam could be a work around for areas that have service “Expanding in 2023”. So an area not just on a waitlist but an area that doesn’t seem to have service available yet (in Fairplay, CO). Wondering if Roam will still work in these areas or if it only works where Starlink is currently available according to their availbility map? I saw some other questions like this but wanted to ask it more directly. Thanks a bunch!
Colorado is covered, just waitlisted in many areas. But yes, Roam would work anywhere that isn’t labeled “No Coverage” on the map, including in those “Expanding in 2023” waitlist areas. It’s just slower service due to the deprioritization.
Thank you for the response! I appreciate your time. I was confused that “Expanding in 2023” just meant that the area was waitlisted. Thanks again.
You said “You have to have a Residential plan. When you go into your account dashboard, you hit Manage next to your Residential plan, and then hit Add Portability.”
No “Add Portability” and if I edit Service Plan RESIDENTAL I get “No products available to change”
If you are talking about how to add Portability, it’s no longer available in the US. So that may be why you don’t see it. What market are you in? I still see the option to change to Roam on my Starlink units.
I’m outside of Sacramento, Auburn CA 95602. Have had system for about a year and just checked there is no issue with getting a new residential for my area. Just can’t switch to roam.
ie. When selecting the edit button I get the following.CHANGE SERVICE PLANBy changing service plans, you are accepting the of the new plan. Read more here.
No products available to change
That’s very odd. They must be restricting new Roam accounts in that area? Reach out to Starlink via support ticket to see if they can manually convert your account.
There is no help from Starlink.
Go to create ticket and I get in red, for the past 6 days.
Customers are temporarily experiencing longer wait times for support. We’re working to resolve this, but for the fastest resolution now, see our Help Center or download the Starlink App.
Nice huh…. Not really impressed by them.
I am in the US. We currently have DirectTV/AT&T internet at the residence, DirectTV/Hughes.net at the cabin and an RV that we would like to be able to watch TV and have internet in. My hope is to be able get either Starling Residence with portability or Starling Roam and dump DirectTV, AT&T and Hughes.net plus gain ability to stream in the RV. Is that realistic? I could see getting some additional mounting equipment for the home and cabin and will need some cable, but is the other equipment cumbersome to disconnect and move around?
Yes, that is realistic. If you don’t need a permanent mounting location high on the roof, the equipment is easy to install/uninstall.
The Portability add-on is not available for US customers, but service for people in other markets, or US accounts that already had Portability enabled, is available.
The rectangular dish would be better for travel. It’s lighter and uses less power. The setup is also more simple because the router and power supply are one unit, rather than two units with the round dish.
If you don’t mind installing/uninstalling the dish when you travel, Portability is the best option because you’ll only have one bill. If you buy a separate Roam account and dish, you’ll pay Residential + Roam in the months when you are traveling. It’s worth the cost for some because usually the Residential dish is permanently installed, and not easily accessible.
If the availability map shows my address not available for residential, can I still use Starlink Roam in the same area and get connection?
Yes. Roam users will have slower speeds, and you won’t be able to convert the hardware to Residential when your pre-order is ready for a full Residential order.
Would Starlink roam be good for events? I’m looking to add this to my events for my vendors (up to 50) to connect to and process payment in an area that doesn’t have cell service or cell reception. Also wondering how far the signal reaches from the base/dish?
Should work ok for events, but a single Roam connection would get bogged down with 50 users, unless those users were just doing basic transactions (ie not streaming, etc). The standard router can cover about 2000 sq ft. It can be expanded with any standard IT infrastructure (switch, access points, etc).
I see, this is for an outdoor venue, all of the vendors will only be using it for payment processing, not streaming. They would also only be at most 200 ft away from the base set up. Do you know if the Mesh router from starlink would be a good option to use to extend those points that would normally be on the outskirts of the signal range? Thank you for your help, very new to this!
Your best bet is to get an IT consult and have them plan out Ethernet drops for access points in the area. 200ft is stretching it but the Starlink mesh nodes might work if placed strategically.
Outdoor should be just fine at 200ft, if there aren’t large objects/materials that would block a signal.
We currently have STARLINK RV. WE were just notified that our residential reservation is ready to process. Can we use the hardware we currently have for the residential service? It appears to be exactly the same
No, you can’t activate used hardware for a pre-order. There is no option to transfer in equipment if you are coming from the waitlist to Residential. Activating equipment for Residential is only an option if the address has open availability (not waitlisted). It is the same equipment. You can still sell and transfer your RV equipment on the used market to recoup some of the cost.
I currently have STARLINK RV and have just received confirmation that my residential order is ready to process. Can I use my existing dish for residential? It says on your website that it’s exactly the same.
It’s the same hardware, however, pre-order’s are not allowed to transfer in used equipment. Pre-order accounts must order the hardware again when filling the Residential order. If you don’t need your Roam plan or dish anymore, you can sell it on the used market to recoup some of the investment.
You might also check to see if there is open availability at your address now. If there is open availability in your area (in other words, can you go to Starlink.com as a guest and order today for Residential?) you CAN transfer in a used dish using the Kit #.
How is Continental defined? E.g Canary Island belongs to Spain but I believe it is located in Continent Africa while Spain is in Europe. So what happends if I travel between the two locations and stays longer than 2 months each time. Do I need a global plan? It’s the same country.
It’s geography defined. It’s still unknown about the 2 month restriction. They haven’t enforced it yet, so I’m not sure if they just change your billing to the new country, or you have to upgrade to Global. Either way, it’s now super easy to switch between Regional and Global, so I wouldn’t worry about it. Stick with Regional until you are forced to upgrade if you ever run into a scenario where you lose connection. You’ll always be able to connect to Starlink.com from the dish and change to Global in the event Regional stops working due to the 2 month restriction, or going outside of the continent.
I would like to use this at my cabin in the summer. I’m in Canada. Should I take the residential package and switch to roam later in the summer or is that allowed?
You can always switch to Roam, but you can’t switch back. If you have a need for Starlink at your main home and the cabin, I recommend purchasing Residential and then just enabling the Portability add-on when you need to take it to the cabin. I recommend Roam if you don’t need to take it back and forth, and only need it seasonally at the cabin. Roam can be paused. Residential with Portability cannot be paused.
I do not need to take it back and forth. I will not need it until I go to the cabin probably in mid to late May. If it is delivered before that can I pause the monthly fee until I can get it installed?
Yes, you can pause service the moment it becomes available in your Starlink.com account dashboard.
How do you enable the portability add on? It just shows roam?
You have to have a Residential plan. When you go into your account dashboard, you hit Manage next to your Residential plan, and then hit Add Portability.
Roam is always portable, no need to do anything to be able to travel on a Roam plan.
Do I have to do the initial setup of my Starlink global roam subscription on my service address, or can I do it from a remote location?
Roam doesn’t have a service address, so you can power it on and use it anywhere. I haven’t seen any reports of needing to use it at the shipping address country before traveling.
Thank you!
Does this apply to the Regional Roam plan as well? I.e. If I purchase the hardware in Mexico / have it shipped to Mexico, but then travel with it to the US and activate it in the US, would this be an issue with having a Mexico account / plan?
According to the terms of service, after 2 months of use in the US, they would likely update your billing to USD.
An Rv was purchased and a Starlink came with it. The seller had roam but discontinued his service and didn’t have the box. During sale, the seller failed to relay the device ID and Terminal ID. How do I get that off the device? I’ve never had Starlink before and was excited about this purchase but never thought to ask.
The seller will need to cancel their account and hit the transfer button on their account dashboard. Before they do that, have them write down the Kit # from the account dashboard. Once you have that # and they have transferred, you can activate it on your own Roam account. If they have already transferred, you can hook up the dish and power it on. Connect to the Wifi. Open the Starlink app, go to Settings. Advanced Settings. Write down the “ID” number (starts with ut, but ignore the ut) under Starlink. You can use this number to activate the dish.
Hello,
do I have any chance to use global plan, for private maritime use on merchant ship, in Atlantic, pacific oceans, during sea passages?on board internet very limited, slow and expensive. So starlink roam, could be a win-win for me. Just wondering if it will still works at sea, and any speed limitation? My ship doing about 20 Kay speed. Starlink maritime is not an option because of cost. For private use as a seaman it too expensive. But hope is starlink roam
No, Roam is for on-land and coastal use only. You will need Maritime.
Ok. Then another question. Any chance to encourage shipping companies to use Starlink, instead of other providers? Any chance to get contract for shipping company with about 80 ships for example? And if my company will choose starlink, than equipment can be rented or need to purchase for every ship?
My blog isn’t associated with Starlink, so I’m not sure how they would handle that kind of contract. Your company would have to reach out to SpaceX/Starlink directly.
Is there any way to get an explicit statement from SpaceX on use of Starlink on an inshore (e.g. inside passage up to Alaska) boat? The Marine version is out of reach for casual recreational boaters, and half the boats I encounter are using it. I was about to purchase a system when the new Terms and Conditions for Roam imply land only. As someone else mentioned, how is being at anchor or at a marina dock substantially different from an RV?
You could create a support ticket to ask for one from Starlink after you buy. But other than that, you can just go off of the Roam coverage map:
https://www.starlink.com/map?source=rv
Anything with a shade of blue will be covered, and that is explicit. Beyond that is a gray area. Previously, Starlink has not strictly enforced the on-land rule for Roam.
With the equipment cost of $599 is that billed all at once or over a period of time? I’m looking to order Starlink and it’s only requiring me to do a $99 deposit but it doesn’t say how equipment charges are applied.
The equipment charge is all up-front. The $99 order is just a Residential pre-order deposit. When you sign up, you’ll be on the waitlist, you haven’t actually ordered Starlink yet. Just reserved your spot in line to order. Roam is a different service plan that doesn’t have a waitlist.
I’m a snowbird in an RV and have met many people who are thrilled with Starlink. I plan to get it soon, but I also have DirecTV at home. If I get Roam will I be able to use that at my home during the summers? The cost of DTV and my crappy internet provider is more than the $150 for Starlink so that looks like a win-win. Also my area is currently in waiting period mode.
Yes you can use it at your home. Roam customers are deprioritized on the network, so you may experience slower speeds in peak hours compared to a Residential customer.