FYI Starlink offering $5/mo emergency service subscription

[Neal]

Haven't received the email yet but seeing this on social media. Instead of pausing your subscription you can choose an emergency services mode for $5/month.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Interesting - will be watching and looking to understand what this new service will actually provide besides the obvious $5 a month income to Starlink.

 

[J&JD]

Updated Terms of Service​

We’re reaching out to let you know the Pause feature on your plan has been updated. Pause now includes Standby Mode, which comes with unlimited low-speed data for $5.00 per month, perfect for backup connectivity and emergency use. These updates will take effect in 30 days. All of your other plan features remain the same. You are able to cancel your service at any time for no charge. If you have questions, please see our FAQs or Terms of Service.

 

[redbaron]

I don’t think you get a choice.

I think the pause is now $5/month and has limited data.

 

[NWIP]

Yep got my notice too, pausing now cost $5 and no longer free. Will be confirm in 30 days on the next bill

 

[Neal]

I thought you could pause vs suspend.

 

[turbopilot]

This really is not a bad deal. Dish stays active with unlimited low speeds. Always ready to go.

 

[JBright11]

The email I received states that Standby Mode comes with unlimited "low-speed" data......wondered what their definition of "low-speed" is so I followed the link in the email to FAQs and it says 500kbps down and up.

 

[Neal]

My dish is stowed when not in use, and cellular is my primary.

 

[redbaron]

Low speed is 500kbs up and down

 

[Neal]

Got my notification today. So you either opt-in or your line is cancelled. So that begs the question, what will it take to re-activate a line? My guess is there will be an activation fee that surpasses the annual cost of the pause fees???

​

 

[Jim]

So, we bought a product that was advertised as having a “pause” feature when not in use, perfectly legal and all. Now, they want $5 a month to use it the way it was sold to us? This man is rapidly going from my hero to a greedy sob.

On the other hand, if my surveillance cameras will run on 500 kbps, it might not be so bad. Right now, I’ve got to keep three $120-a-month dishes active year round just to keep an eye on whatever property I'm not on at the time. If I can drop that $360 down to $5 for several months at a time, well, that’s a math problem I’m happy to solve.

 

[Neemer]

This is one of the worst roll outs of policy change I’ve encountered. They have sent out emails to everyone, some worded differently, creating confusion throughout.

So I’ll have to pay $5/mo to store their product in my MH unused. I’m pissed.

2025 has been injurious to EM’s status in my eyes.

 

[Wemustrv]

Haven't received the email yet but seeing this on social media. Instead of pausing your subscription you can choose an emergency services mode for $5/month.

I got my email yesterday and went for it. Basically over the course of the year you pay an extra ($5) per month and have unlimited low speed data even when paused.

 

[FLSteve]

Probably none of us know, but was just wondering how many of their current subscriptions actually use the pause function. This may only affect a small percentage of their overall customers (mostly us RV'er types) so they can probably weather any bad PR that results from this change. I just became a customer about 2 months ago and don't plan to pause for about 4 months from now ... so maybe things will change again before then.

FLSteve

 

[Neal]

It's not that much but it's the principal. It's not how it was sold is the problem. It's now a "lease" or subscription at $60/year to just have it and I have two now. It will only get worse, not better, both monthly active use costs and this "pause" mandate. The question is what happens if you cancel a "line" as they call it now, and what is it to reactivate that "line"??? Is that the viable option of what we once called "suspend"??

 

[JBright11]

Well, I bought mine very recently as well, and one of the major selling points was the ability to pause when not travelling. I'll have to admit being quite disappointed with this change.

 

[DennisT]

Got the same email. We bought one due to our plans to travel places where TMobile home probably won’t work. Used it for the first month for verification and paused.

The pause when not using was a great option since we won’t be using that often in the big scheme of things.

Another expense we hadn’t counted on during retirement but there are not a lot of options if it is really needed. Not that $5 a month matters just a change to a service with no other options - not real happy about it either.

 

[Neemer]

I think Starlink’s use of the term “cancel” does not align with mine. Interesting chat bot exchange a few minutes ago.

 

[Neal]

Interesting...thanks for sharing that. Who's gonna test that water??