Starlink portability is one of the remarkable features of the services that sets the satellite ISP apart from the competition.
Often, you may find yourself out of a holiday destination and needing to use the internet.
Starlink comes through in such a scenario. It guarantees convenience, especially if you visit upcountry areas without internet service.
Also, your monthly subscription doesn’t go to waste, among other perks. Find out more about Starlink portability in our subsequent sections.
What Is Starlink Portability?
Starlink Portabiliy is available for those who are moving to a new place.
It’s a Starlink provision that allows subscribed users to relocate their hardware and access the internet from a new location.
Noteworthy, the move should be temporary as Starlink expects you to resume using the service from your registered site.
Starlink portability enables you to access the internet anywhere as long as there’s coverage.
But there’s also a transcontinental data access provision for portability users, enabling service access from another continent.
You can readily access Starlink portability as a residential/business subscriber.
Performance
Starlink portability has similar features to Starlink Roam. So you’re guaranteed speeds of 5-50 Mbps for downloads and 2-10 Mbps for uploads. And you’ll be accessing the service as a deprioritized user.
It means those registered in your new location will get preference during peak service hours.
Hence, the performance of this option is way below that of Starlink residential/business.
Cost
If you’re on Starlink residential, you must pay an extra $25 on your monthly Starlink charge to shoulder the portability plan.
But for those on the Starlink Business package, the additional fee on the regular monthly cost is $500.
It is expensive, so you must gauge whether you truly need the service before committing.
Availability
As of March 2023, Starlink portability service was available for US-based subscribers, but this is no longer the case.
Instead, US customers must subscribe to Starlink Roam to use Starlink Internet while on the go.
Starlink Portability is still available in other continents. But this is on condition that you don’t change continents.
For instance, if you’re an England-based Starlink subscriber, you can use your Dishy in France but not Canada.
Finally, Starlink requires you to apply for Starlink residential permanency if you’re in the new location for over two months.
Is it Worth Paying for Starlink Portability?
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It all depends on the prevailing conditions because there are scenarios where it’s worth the extra cost, and sometimes it’s not.
For instance, Starlink portability is worthwhile if you’re moving to a new location and need a strong connection.
It is especially important if no dependable alternatives like cable and fiber internet exist.
Most importantly, ensure you move to a high-capacity area for the best Starlink portability performance.
Disadvantages of Starlink Portability
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There are several downsides to opting for the Starlink portability option. They include the following:
Service Deprioritization
You’ll deprioritized when on Starlinks Portability.
Starlink grants priority to customers operating in their registered service address.
Therefore, when operating in a new location on Starlinks Portability, you will be deprioritized during peak hours.
It means your internet speed will be low and have a higher latency as the priority customers get better rates.
The priority hours are often during the day, usually between 7 AM to 11 PM. Hence, you can only get top speeds on Starlinks portability from midnight to dawn.
No Proration Billing
There’s no pro rata for Starlinks Portability.
Service proration means you only pay for the days you use the internet. But with Starlinks Portability, this is different.
The company charges you the full fee irrespective of when you start using the internet.
For instance, if you start using the service on the 27th day of a month, you’ll pay for the full month.
If this were on a proration basis, you would only be billed for the three days remaining in the month.
Again, this also applies to payment after service termination. If you opt out of Starlink Portability on the 5th day of the month, you’ll receive a bill for the whole month, not the five days.
In Mobile Use Restriction
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You cannot access the internet while your vehicle moves using the standard Starlink dish and on Starlink Portability.
This option is only available for Starlink Portability users with the Starlink mobile dish.
Its installation alone costs $2500, which is way too high for mere access to the internet while moving. So many people opt not to subscribe to it.
Availability is Temporary
You cannot use Starlink Portability for over two months, as Starlink requires you to register this address as your new one.
Hence, this can be inconvenient as it compels you to move after two months or relocate to a place you hadn’t played to live.
How to Activate Starlink Portability？
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While most Starlinks services are available from the app, this doesn’t work for the Starlink portability registration. Instead, you have to access it from the official website specifically.
Open the website and select ‘Your Starlinks’ then ‘Manage.’ From the resulting options, choose ‘Add Portability.’
You’ll receive a prompt explaining the fees and other terms of the deal. Accept this, and you’ll now officially be in for Starlinks Portability.
How To Deactivate Starlink Portability
Once you’re back to your official residence, you’ll want to cancel the Starlink portability subscription.
Again, this is straightforward, and you will access everything from the Starlink official website.
The steps are the same as above. But since you’re already a subscriber, select ‘Remove Portability’ after clicking ‘Manage.’
How Long does it take for Portability to take Effect?
Starlink portability becomes active immediately after you register for service. So, all you need is to register, set up your kit in the new location, and you can start using the service.
Starlink Roam vs. Starlink Portability
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The services are similar in allowing you to access Starlink internet service while away from your home service address.
However, the roam option allows users to pause service use and resume later without incurring charges for the day not used.
On the other hand, pausing service is not possible with Starlinks Portability.
You can only cancel the service, but you’ll still get a bill for the entire month.
Note that the billing applies even if you cancel on the first day of a new month.
Hence, the ideal service for users who don’t use Starlink often and are always on the move is Starlink Roam.
Conclusion
Accessing a strong internet in places far from home is no easy feat because most areas are not well covered.
It is especially true for rural areas where only Satellite internet services such as Starlink guarantee a strong, reliable connection.
Starlink saves you from the hassle of subscribing to the local provider in your new location by offering the Portability service.
Its terms are as we have covered above, and it’s indeed an excellent option for travelers.