Starlink Cracks Down on Usage in Unauthorized Countries

Starlink continues warning customers who circumvent its terms of service to get internet in a country where it's not yet approved and crack down on unauthorized third-party sellers in those regions.

Starlink messaged users in the affected regions that their service was in danger of being deactivated. Users on a Mobile plan that used it for more than two months outside the country they purchased it in had until August 21 to resolve the issue. Users shared the email over Reddit, Facebook, and X. Many expressed frustration and remarked that Starlink is one of their only avenues for connecting to the internet. 

Starlink previously sent a similar warning of a crackdown in April 2024, but there was no indication of how many users were cut off, if any.

The message is aimed at users who use Starlink’s Mobile-Regional plan to circumvent the residential, fixed service block in certain countries. Starlink’s Mobile-Regional costs more than the Standard residential version but allows customers to use their equipment anywhere within a specific region.

Customers in blocked countries have commented that they purchased the equipment and service plan in a country where it was approved and took it to use in their home country, which has yet to approve it. Customers can see where Starlink is approved with the Starlink Availability Map.

Starlink’s email states that users who have been using Starlink Mobile-Regional for more than two months outside the country where it was activated will have service restricted unless they change their account to an approved country where they’re located. 

In addition to this renewed enforcement of the Mobile plans usage, Starlink also introduced a new "Outside Region Fee" policy to undermine unauthorized sellers that mass purchase kits and ship them to unapproved countries to resell.  

"If you purchased a Starlink Kit from an unauthorized reseller, it is possible that the Outside Region Fee may apply to your order," according to the policy. This fee can range from $200 to $300, depending on the kit. 

Local governments and regulatory bodies must approve the sale and use of Starlink equipment within their borders before allowing service. Starlink’s availability map indicates where the service is available and where the company is working to get approved. Some countries on the map have broad estimations of when the service will be available, while many others are just marked as unavailable. Starlink continues to expand its coverage to different countries—both Argentina and Mongolia recently approved the service within their borders.

These policy changes come after SpaceX and founder Elon Musk recently came under fire from U.S. members of Congress over alleged reports of Starlink being acquired and used by Russian soldiers amid the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian conflict—which Musk has denied.