Despite complaints, some Starlink users view Standby Mode as an affordable, albeit very slow, way to access the internet on the go. However, don’t count on it as a long-term solution.
Starlink’s monthly bill is far from cheap. But SpaceX is starting to offer a way to cut it to $5 —provided you don’t use it for long.
On Wednesday, the company introduced Standby Mode for Starlink. It caused some controversy because it replaces the free «Pause» function that many customers on the Starlink Roam plan used to temporarily pause service (and monthly bills). To them, Standby Mode is a price hike.
Still, some Starlink customers are eyeing Standby Mode as the ideal way to get cheap, basic internet access in areas without strong wireless connectivity. Although Standby Mode restricts satellite speeds to a measly 0.5Mbps, it’s only $5 per month and offers “unlimited” data. That’s a major discount from the other Starlink Roam plans, which cost $165 per month or $50 per month for 50GB of data.
One truck driver on Reddit praised Standby Mode as a “bargain” after struggling to use other satellite internet services. “I have tested this new plan today and to say it is not worth $5 a month is insane,” the user wrote. “Wi-Fi calling still works great. YouTube isn’t the greatest experience, but you can watch a video in SD (Standard definition) with no buffering.
