Telstra and Optus’ Starlink mobile coverage might come at a cost

Telstra and Optus are both set to expand their mobile networks with Starlink satellite connectivity, but that functionality may come at a cost.

United States telco T-Mobile has just launched its Starlink-powered connectivity in beta and confirmed that it will charge some customers after an initial free period. Customers on its top-end USD$100 per month "Go5G Next" plan will get Starlink connectivity for free, but others will need to pay an extra USD$15 per month for the capability.

Interestingly, T-Mobile will allow customers of other telcos to purchase Starlink mobile connectivity through it for USD$20 per month.

Locally, neither Telstra nor Optus have had anything to say about potential pricing for the feature. A Telstra spokesperson told WhistleOut the company "will work through pricing" after it has finished testing the technology. Optus has also yet to make a decision about how the technology will be offered to customers.

That being said, it would make sense if the telcos charged at least some customers a fee for Starlink connectivity. As part of these partnerships, Telstra and Optus would be paying SpaceX - the company that operates Starlink satellites - for its services. SpaceX isn't giving away space internet for free and it wouldn't be surprising if Telstra and Optus passed this cost on.

But as with T-Mobile, it's possible that Telstra and Optus could include Starlink connectivity at no extra cost on their top-end mobile plans, in the same way that their most expensive offers used to come with "free" international roaming.

While mobile data usage has grown, the average Australian is still using much less data than top-tier plans from Telstra and Optus offer. The average postpaid customer uses around 17GB per month according to the ACCC, while Optus' largest plan has 360GB. Including Starlink connectivity on these could be a more effective upsell.

At present, there's no fixed time frame for when Telstra or Optus will launch Starlink connectivity. The tech is more so positioned as a "just-in-case" option, as the Starlink satellites will initially only have enough bandwidth to send a text message.

Starlink's next-generation satellites are able to broadcast mobile spectrum, which means most existing phones can connect to them without the need for any special equipment. Software updates may be required, however, and a clear view of the sky is naturally necessary.

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