Key points:
- Starlink sent out emails alerting current subscribers that support for the grandfathered Residential + Portability plan is ending on February 23rd, 2025
- Users will automatically be moved to Roam Unlimited plans for $165/month if they do nothing.
- Users also have the option to move to a residential plan if there is capacity in their area or another available Starlink plan.
Almost exactly two years after Starlink abruptly stopped offering a portability feature that combined aspects of the Residential and Roam plans, Starlink is officially sunsetting the Residential + Portability plan for good.
Portability was an add-on feature to residential plans that Starlink ceased offering in February 2023.
Portability was a $25 add-on feature to the Residential service plan that allowed you to take your residential service away from your service address as you travel. However, you could discontinue the Portability feature when it wasn't needed.
The great thing about the Portability add-on is that it flexibly combined the benefits of the Residential and Roam plans. You could move your service address and have unlimited standard priority data at that location and continue to get unlimited lower-priority data at other locations—all without changing plans. The Portability option could also be added and removed as needed. Together, this was a great and flexible option for all kinds of nomads with different needs and travel styles.
When the portability feature was discontinued two years ago, anyone who did not have the add-on enabled lost it and could not get it back. Those who did have it enabled could keep it and were grandfathered in. Then, in April 2023, Starlink rolled this option into a distinct plan for grandfathered users, changing it from an add-on feature to its own plan called "Residential+ Portability."
Now that plan is officially ending - read on for the details, implications, and alternatives.
Table of Contents
Residential +Portability Plan Video Story
Residential +Portability Plan Ending For All Customers
Like anything Starlink-related, we have always warned that the plan you have today may not exist tomorrow, and that is holding true once again. It's actually quite rare for Starlink to grandfather any plan or terms of service, and it's somewhat surprising that the Portability option was grandfathered to begin with and has lasted for as long as it has.
Those who were lucky enough to take advantage of the Residential + Portability grandfathered plan will be forced to switch to a currently available plan by February 23, 2025.
Those who don't take action by that date will be automatically moved to the $165/month Roam-Unlimited plan. The notification sent to affected customers also notes that customers can move to the Residential plan or one of Starlink's other current plans. Customers also have the option to discontinue service.
Customers who had their Residential + Portability plan paused have already been moved to the Roam Unlimited plan, still in a paused status.
Starlink Portability Vs Roam
Two years ago - an eternity in terms of Starlink, given all the changes since then - mobile users had two primary options for service:
- The standard Residential service with the option of a portability add-on for $25/mo, for a total of $145/month (or $115 in some uncongested markets)
- Roam plan for $150/month (now $165/mo)
The plans were similar, but the portability option had some advantages, namely the ability to move your service address and have higher priority at that location, which Roam did and still does not support.
When the portability option was retired, many users probably didn't see a reason to hang onto the grandfathered plan when it was discontinued, especially given the price difference was only $5 at that time, so this change likely affects relatively few Starlink customers.
However, in September 2024, Starlink increased the price of Roam—Unlimited to $165, and it seemed like the grandfathered users on the $145 Portability plan (including the really lucky ones who had locked in the $115 rate in a discounted residential area) had struck gold because their portability plans didn't increase in price, and now the difference between the plan prices was more significant.
But now that the great deal is ending, affected customers will need to discontinue service or pick a new plan.
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Conclusion
Starlink has fundamentally changed and expanded the connectivity options for all types of nomads, including RVers and boaters, but one downside is that Starlink makes frequent changes to its offerings, including ending plans, even ones that have been officially grandfathered.
Starlink does not require a contract to use its services, which are provided on a month-to-month basis, so it is free to make changes at any time to its plans, prices, and policies. Unfortunately, Starlink has established a reputation for frequent and unannounced changes, which usually do not favor the end users.
We are surprised that the grandfathered Residential + Portability plan has lasted as long as it has, but are not shocked it's being retired. Now that it's ending, those who were able to benefit from it will have to choose what plan to switch to or discontinue service entirely.
Starlink continues to increase prices year after year, and for some users, it's now a significant cost to stay connected with their services. With the Starlink network becoming congested in many parts of the nation, we are again seeing users complain about slow speeds in certain areas of the country.
It's all a good reminder of what we preach here at the Mobile Internet Resource Center—redundancy is key, and mobile internet users should have redundant connection options because the industry—not just Starlink—is always changing.
Further Reading
- Starlink Satellite Internet For Mobile RV And Boat Use - Our featured guide focused on taking advantage of SpaceX's Starlink on the go.
- Mobile Satellite Internet Options -
Our featured guide on all the current and future satellite internet options of interest to RVers and cruisers. - All our our Satellite Internet Resources - Our collection of guides, gear center entries and news coverage on satellite internet.
- Industry Update: Mobile Satellite Internet for RVers & Boaters – Early 2024 Update: Starlink, Kuiper, Direct To Cellular, and Beyond! - Our deep dive into the state of the satellite internet world.
And here is all of our recent satellite internet coverage:
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