March 4, 2025
In recent years, Starlink emerged as a reliable business-grade network, offering reasonable latency and solid download (~120-220 Mbps) and upload (~10-22 Mbps) speeds. Thousands of dishes were deployed for both consumer and business users across the U.S. However, significant changes are set to take effect in April 2025.
Starlink is overhauling its pricing structure, with pricing increasing 2-5X depending on usage. Once priority data buckets are exhausted, speeds will be throttled to 1 Mbps, eliminating free high-speed data transit.
For example, customers using 2-5TB of data will face steep cost hikes, and those who fail to act will experience a 99% speed reduction, leading to potential business interruptions.
These changes are expected to create confusion and disruption in the telecom and Channel industries, pausing sales and forcing providers to urgently manage existing circuits. The lack of clarity around cost management policies adds to the uncertainty.
Starlink’s new pricing model introduces significant financial challenges for businesses. Additional data usage will now cost $250−$500 per terabyte, requiring end users to:
For example, a customer using 6TB of data could face additional costs of up to $3,000 per month if they opt for a pay-as-you-go model. Alternatively, throttling speeds to 1 Mbps is not a viable option for businesses reliant on high-speed connectivity.
This shift leaves many users feeling "bait-and-switched," as their once-affordable wireless solution becomes prohibitively expensive and requires constant management.
We’re already deploying a solution to the upcoming Starlink data plan and pricing plan problem. Continue reading for more information.
To address these challenges, Metro Wireless offers MetroBOND, a dynamic allocation solution that bonds 5G and Starlink circuits. MetroBOND eliminates Starlink cost overruns, delivers carrier diversity, and doubles or triples circuit performance.
MetroBOND utilizes Peplink Speedfusion™ technology to bond multiple circuits, aggregating their speeds into a single ethernet handoff. Latency ranges from 50-90 milliseconds, depending on static IP usage.
For businesses with high-performance needs, MetroBONDx4 can bond up to four circuits, delivering download speeds of 350+ Mbps and upload speeds of 100+ Mbps. This is ideal for cloud-dependent businesses with zero tolerance for downtime.
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For businesses already using Starlink, Metro Wireless offers MetroRETRO, a solution to upgrade existing circuits to MetroBONDx2.
By installing a Peplink router at the Starlink handoff, businesses can enjoy the benefits of bonded carriers without replacing their existing infrastructure.
For a business generating $25 million in monthly revenue, a network outage could cost, a network outage could cost $120,000 per hour. MetroBOND eliminates this risk, ensuring always-on cloud access and protecting mission-critical operations!
Starlink’s 2025 plan changes present significant challenges for businesses and Channel partners. However, solutions like MetroBOND and MetroRETRO offer a way to mitigate cost increases, improve performance, and ensure reliable connectivity.
By leveraging bonded circuits and carrier diversity, businesses can future-proof their networks and avoid the pitfalls of Starlink’s new pricing model.
Metro Wireless has been delivering bonded solutions since 2019, backed by Peplink Speedfusion™ technology.
With a proven track record and straightforward financial analysis, MetroBOND is a compelling alternative for businesses navigating the evolving landscape of wireless connectivity.
Yes, pricing will differ depending on the plan and location. Local Priority plans will have country-specific pricing, with values initially planned in USD. Local currency pricing will be confirmed closer to the launch date. On the other hand, Global Priority plans will have a fixed price worldwide, regardless of location.
No, all existing Priority and Mobile Priority plans will be migrated to the new structure starting in January 2025. For example, if you currently have a 1TB data plan, it will transition to the new system with the same 1TB data allowance. After the transition, customers will have the flexibility to adjust their data usage as needed.
No, Roam Unlimited is designed for residential customers. Business and enterprise customers are required to use Priority service plans, which are tailored to meet their specific needs.
Once your priority data is exhausted, your service speed will be reduced to 1Mbps download and 0.5Mbps upload. This ensures continued connectivity, albeit at lower speeds.
The new Priority plans come with several key features:
No, every service line must include a recurring data plan. The terminal access fee alone is not sufficient to activate a service line.
Yes, by default, service lines are set to opt-in for additional Priority data. When your recurring data is used up, a 50GB block of Priority data will automatically be added to your account. For example, if you have a 500GB plan and exceed it, a 50GB top-up will be applied.
No, the 50GB top-up blocks added automatically when your Priority data is exhausted do not recur monthly. Only manually added blocks will carry over to subsequent months.
Yes, you can opt-out of additional Priority data at any time. If you choose to opt-out, your service will be limited to 1Mbps download and 0.5Mbps upload once your recurring Priority data is used up. You can switch between opt-in and opt-out as needed.
Yes, multiple terminals can share the same service line if they are on the same vessel, vehicle, or building. However, each terminal will incur a separate terminal access fee, and certain limits may apply.
No, Local Priority plans are not designed for use in territorial waters. A Global Priority plan is required for operations in these areas.
Starlink is committed to providing a summary of API changes on the API Readme at least 30 days before any changes take effect.
Yes, the terminal access fee will be pro-rated based on the activation date. However, the full data price will be charged on the next invoice, as the service line will have access to the entire data allowance for that billing period.
The 99.9% network availability SLA ensures high reliability for your service. This feature will be gradually rolled out in Q1 2025, with more details to be provided in Q4 2024. Note that certain limitations may apply.
The transition to the new Priority service structure will begin in early 2025. Additional details will be shared closer to the rollout date.
Starlink Global Priority plans include:
If you use up all your Starlink Global Priority Data and do not have automatic top-ups enabled, your service will be limited to 1Mbps download and 0.5Mbps upload speeds.
Tyler Hoffman
