(Credit: Starlink.com)
US customers can now buy the third-generation Starlink dish without needing a SpaceX invite.
Starlink.com has been updated to sell the new “standard” Starlink dish, which costs $599 — the same price as the second-generation “standard actuated” dish.
The catch is that interested consumers will need to buy the new dish through the “Roam” tier for Starlink, which lets you use the satellite internet system in more than one location. The Roam tier starts at $150 per month, making it more expensive than the “Residential” tier, which costs $90 or $120 per month, depending on the location.
Customers can also buy the new Starlink dish through the “Business” tier. But that plan has an even higher monthly service charge starting at $250.
A Starlink.com support page adds that existing customers can also buy the third-generation dish through the Starlink shop. But they'll have to switch the Roam tier.
For now, the product is only available in the US, Starlink’s largest market. “The Starlink Standard Kit will become available to additional service plans and markets over time. We do not have estimated dates to provide at this time,” the support page adds.
(Credit: Starlink.com)According to an FCC filing, SpaceX designed the third-generation dish to offer “a high performance solution for consumers.” But the company has yet to clearly state whether the new hardware offers an internet speed increase. That’s left some existing Starlink subscribers wondering if the product is worth buying, considering the $599 cost.
On the plus side, the third-generation Starlink dish comes bundled with the “Gen 3” router, which supports Wi-Fi 6 and comes with two built-in Ethernet ports. The new dish is also slightly larger and drops the self-rotating motors. Instead, it’s been designed to lay flat over a kickstand.