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Starlink Australia
Starlink is giving other satellite internet options in Australia a run for their money. However, you'll need to be prepared to spend $139 a month on plan fees.
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What you need to know
Starlink is now widely available across Australia
Upfront hardware and shipping costs can set you back around $1,000
It advertises download speeds between 100Mbps and 200Mbps and offers unlimited data
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a private satellite internet service launched by Elon Musk's aerospace company, SpaceX.
SpaceX plans to have thousands of low-Earth satellites forming a global cluster capable of delivering internet services to just about any spot on the planet.
It aims to eventually provide high-speed broadband to customers worldwide who can't get a decent internet connection from existing technologies.
Why this matters: There are potentially faster internet speeds up for grabs for Australians living in regional and rural areas, where you're more likely to be on NBN satellite or fixed wireless with lacklustre speeds.
How does Starlink work?
Starlink operates through a network of low-Earth orbit satellites that bounce signals from your equipment back to ground stations on earth, completing a broadband connection.
Because Starlink satellites are closer to the earth than other satellite services, the signals should take less time to reach them. This in turn should give households a faster connection.
As of February 2023, SpaceX has launched more than 3,800 Starlink satellites in orbit. It has permission to deploy 12,000 more and hopes to seek further approval for another 30,000 satellites.
Where is Starlink available in Australia?
Starlink launched in Australia in April 2021, specifically focusing trial efforts in northern Victoria and southern New South Wales.
It has since expanded to 20 Starlink ground stations in the country and the company says most people around the states and territories can access its services.
Here's a look at Starlink's coverage map for Australia.
Alternatively, you can head to Starlink's website and enter your address to see if it's accessible at your property.
How much does Starlink cost in Australia?
Signing up to a Starlink internet plan will cost you at least $1,163.
You'll be paying for:
Plan fees: $139 per month for unlimited data
Hardware fees: $924 (includes Starlink dish, router, power supply, cables and mounting tripod)
Shipping fee: $100–$150
The hardware cost will set you back the most. If you're lucky, there could be a promotion running to reduce the cost by almost 50% as we've seen happen before. The shipping and handling fee could also be waived as part of a special offer.
Update July 2023: Telstra to sell Starlink internet
Telstra will soon be selling satellite internet plans and voice services to rural and remote Australians thanks to its partnership with Starlink.
The launch won’t happen until late 2023 and prices will only be made available closer to time.
Two additional features will set Telstra apart from Starlink. It’ll offer voice services which might be useful to those struggling with their mobile network, and the option for professional installation.
The main caveat is these add-ons may end up making Starlink more expensive if bought via Telstra but we’ll have to wait for the the official price announcement.
What about Starlink's pricing for businesses?
For high-end plans better suited to businesses, Starlink Business charges a steep $374 per month and $3,740 for a one-off hardware fee.
In return, you'll get a more powerful antenna and 1TB of data. Shipping costs are charged at $155.
How fast is Starlink internet in Australia?
Starlink's download speeds range between 100Mbps and 200Mbps on its standard plans, with a latency of 25ms–50ms and upload speeds of 5Mbps–15Mbps.
Its business plans can attain download speeds of up to 350Mbps, latency as low as 20ms and upload speeds of up to 25Mbps.
According to Ookla's Q3 and Q4 report for 2022, Starlink users in Australia experienced median download speeds of 106.43Mbps. This has slightly improved from Q2 median download speeds of 102.76Mbps.
Upload speeds and latency were clocked at 10.45Mbps and 49ms respectively.
Is Starlink cheaper than the NBN?
If we're looking at starting prices, the NBN comes out cheaper than Starlink. Satellite NBN plans start at $45 per month compared to Starlink's $139, and that's not even including Starlink's extra set-up costs.
Equipment for the NBN is provided for free by NBN Co. All you have to do is pay for a modem when you sign up to a plan. Depending on the provider, this can cost you anywhere from $60 to $200.
On the opposite side, Starlink will cost you close to $1,000 just to set up.
That being said, you do get better inclusions with Starlink. See the comparison below:
Starlink
NBN satellite
Plan price
$139 a month
Starts from $45 a month
Set-up costs
Starting from $1,024
Modem costs up to $200
Data
Unlimited
Data capped for on- and off-peak hours
Max speed
200Mbps
25Mbps
Sky Muster NBN caps out at 25Mbps and frequently comes with data caps that vary between peak and off-peak hours, making things a bit more complicated for users. Meanwhile, Starlink offers up to 200Mbps and unlimited data on its NBN plan. That's a massive win for Starlink and why paying more for its services could be enticing.
So while the NBN is the cheaper option of the 2, it's not totally fair to compare them side by side because their inclusions differ so wildly.
The bottom line: Depending on which NBN technology is available at your house, Starlink could be a better bet in terms of reliable speed. However, this speed comes at a steeper cost than signing up for an NBN plan.
Is Starlink faster than the NBN?
This is a complex question because it depends on which NBN technology you're looking at. Overall, Starlink compares well to the NBN on speed, but not so well on price.
Starlink vs fixed-line NBN speed
For some NBN customers, especially those on lower quality FTTN connections, Starlink's claim of up to 200Mbps offers much faster speeds than their NBN providers can offer.
In fact, it's faster than the maximum speed of a fixed-line NBN 100 plan.
Keep in mind that faster NBN plans do exist (NBN 250 and NBN 1000) but are currently limited to FTTP and some HFC connection types and are not widely available just yet. If you're lucky enough to have access to them, your average speeds will be faster than Starlink.
However, your latency – the time taken for signals to reach a server – will mostly be higher on Starlink compared to a fixed-line connection since the satellites are further away. High latency can be a problem for video conferencing and especially online gaming.
Starlink vs wireless NBN speed
For NBN Sky Muster satellite customers, there's no comparison. NBN satellite speeds are capped at 25Mbps and often provide low amounts of data.
Starlink is a superior choice here, offering up to 6 times faster speeds than NBN satellite, complete with unlimited data.
NBN fixed wireless customers may prefer Starlink too. Fixed wireless plans currently top out at 75Mbps, so on paper Starlink has a speed edge.
The bottom line: While NBN Co is upgrading homes across Australia to fibre connections and raising potential speeds, Starlink is a better bet for speed at the moment, especially if you live outside metropolitan areas.
Is Starlink faster than 5G?
Based on numbers, 5G technology is definitely faster than Starlink. You can get around 300Mbps median speeds in Australia, but Telstra does its customers one better by offering up to 600Mbps at peak times.
Both Starlink and 5G home internet seem like good alternatives to those struggling with slow fixed-line NBN connections. However, it's tricky to compare the 2 technology types as they solve different issues.
For example, Starlink is well-suited to those living in regional or rural areas where options for a good internet connection are limited. 5G home internet offers faster speeds to densely populated areas.
The best option for you will largely depend on your location and how strong 5G coverage is in your area.
Is Starlink worth it in Australia?
In short, Starlink is worth considering if your choices for being connected to the internet are limited to mostly satellite NBN.
It's more expensive, but at least your online activities aren't limited by data caps and 25Mbps speeds. This is especially true for households where 2 or more people are online simultaneously.
Pros
High satellite speeds compared to the NBN
Service will continue to improve as more satellites are launched
Unlimited data
Cons
Expensive set-up fees
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Frequently asked questions
You can cancel your Starlink order through the customer account portal and get a full refund within 30 days of it being shipped. After 30 days, you can still cancel, but won't get any refund on equipment, shipping or plan fees.
You can enter your address on Starlink's website to see if it services your area. It's also a good idea to download the Starlink app on Google Play or the Apple Store to find the best installation location for the satellite dish.
Starlink's portability feature allows you to relocate your internet kit and services to another property within your continent. However, you will need to enable the feature by paying a monthly fee. This can be disabled anytime.
You don't need to worry about your view of the night sky being blocked. Low-Earth orbit satellites are too far away to be seen by the naked eye, but will still appear on long-exposure images taken by astronomers and seen through telescopes.
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It's time to sort out your NBN plan for the new year.
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Get uncapped data on your satellite plan for cheaper.
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Dodo joins the growing list of providers hiking up NBN 50 plan prices.
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As the US deploys US$42 billion in upgrades, how are we doing down under?
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Mariam Gabaji is an editor and tech and utilities expert at Finder with over 11+ years of experience in print and digital media. Her main goal is to help households cut through the industry jargon and save money on their household bills. Her expertise is often featured in media including the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, 7News, A Current Affair, The Guardian, SBS and Money Magazine.
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If I purchase a Starlink Standard Kit from JB HI FI for $599, is it as simple as downloading the Starlink App to connect the hardward and sign up to monthly internet for $139?
Hi Robin,
While there is no bundling options for internet and mobile via Starlink, you might be able to use a Starlink service for Wifi calling.
If you specifically wanted a satellite internet service and mobile phone service together, it looks like iiNet is the only company that bundles these together, but it uses the NBN SkyMuster satellite, not Starlink. There are some companies that do provide NBN satellite and mobile phone services separately, so you could still get both from the one provider if you wanted, such as Westnet and Southern Phone.
If you want more information on NBN satellite broadband, you can read our guide: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/satellite-broadband
Hope this helps.
Hi Chris,
It seems Starlink allows business plans to have multiple kits under the one account, but doesn’t specifically mention the same for residential plans. You’d need to contact Starlink direct to find out if they can offer this for your home and another address.
Hope this helps.
Hi Geoff,
Yes, when you connect to Starlink, they will provide your internet to you, so you would cancel with your current provider.
To see if you’re eligible, you’d need to enter your address on their site: https://www.starlink.com/
Keep in mind they might have a higher monthly cost and upfront costs than your current provider, so you’d need to consider that before switching.
Hope this helps.
Hi Graham, the hardware for Starlink costs $924 and the monthly fees is $139. However, Starlink is running an offer where you could get the hardware for much cheaper. Please visit its website to find out costs for your address: https://www.starlink.com/
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If I purchase a Starlink Standard Kit from JB HI FI for $599, is it as simple as downloading the Starlink App to connect the hardward and sign up to monthly internet for $139?
Yes, you’ll need to download the app and sign up for a contract in order to make use of the kit. Hope this helps.
is there available a combined sattelite service for internet and mobile phone
Hi Robin,
While there is no bundling options for internet and mobile via Starlink, you might be able to use a Starlink service for Wifi calling.
If you specifically wanted a satellite internet service and mobile phone service together, it looks like iiNet is the only company that bundles these together, but it uses the NBN SkyMuster satellite, not Starlink. There are some companies that do provide NBN satellite and mobile phone services separately, so you could still get both from the one provider if you wanted, such as Westnet and Southern Phone.
If you want more information on NBN satellite broadband, you can read our guide: https://www.finder.com.au/broadband-plans/satellite-broadband
Hope this helps.
Can i have my home and another address on the same account
Hi Chris,
It seems Starlink allows business plans to have multiple kits under the one account, but doesn’t specifically mention the same for residential plans. You’d need to contact Starlink direct to find out if they can offer this for your home and another address.
Hope this helps.
does this mean when connected to starlink we can cancel our internet with our current supplier
Hi Geoff,
Yes, when you connect to Starlink, they will provide your internet to you, so you would cancel with your current provider.
To see if you’re eligible, you’d need to enter your address on their site: https://www.starlink.com/
Keep in mind they might have a higher monthly cost and upfront costs than your current provider, so you’d need to consider that before switching.
Hope this helps.
how much to set up and get the job done
Hi Graham, the hardware for Starlink costs $924 and the monthly fees is $139. However, Starlink is running an offer where you could get the hardware for much cheaper. Please visit its website to find out costs for your address: https://www.starlink.com/