Switching to Starlink: the questions that come up

For lag and speed, yes, by a wide margin: Ookla measured typical US lag of 39 ms for Starlink against 674 ms for HughesNet and 750 ms for Viasat. The exceptions are homes where Starlink can’t see enough open sky, and contracts with a big fee left. Starlink vs HughesNet · Starlink vs Viasat

Often not. If T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T Internet Air is fast enough in the evening, it usually costs less. Starlink helps most when the tower is congested or the signal is weak and an outdoor antenna hasn’t fixed it. T-Mobile vs Starlink

It can. Starlink is faster almost everywhere, but under heavy tree cover a slow, steady DSL line may drop out less. Your sky view and the state of your line decide it. DSL to Starlink

Not necessarily. An old dish aims at one spot in the southern sky, while Starlink needs a wide view, so trees the old dish shot past can get in the way. The Starlink app helps you pick an install spot and check for obstructions that could interfere with service: scan the exact spot before you order. How to check your spot

No monthly cap: Starlink lists unlimited data on every Residential plan. But speeds can slow during network congestion and peak hours, Residential 100 and 200 Mbps slow down sooner than Residential Max, and Starlink may cut the speed of households that use far more than a typical home. Data caps compared

Hughes is in Chapter 11. Its own customer message: Hughes says there is no impact to customers and it expects no disruption to service. What we know so far

In the areas AT&T has been approved to retire, press reports say copper service can end on or after November 15, 2026, in the parts of about 1,060 wire centers in 18 states covered by AT&T's January 2026 FCC approval (about 90,000 customers in AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX and WI); the letter at each address gives that address's date. You can take AT&T’s replacement, or choose any other provider. Test the replacement before the copper line ends. What to do

US Residential prices vary by region, so starlink.com quotes yours once the address is in. With no address entered, Starlink’s US national order list showed Residential 100 Mbps at $49.50, 200 Mbps at $76.50 and Max at $143 a month on Nov 3, 2026; prices vary by address, and starlink.com shows yours once you enter it. What switching really costs

Buying the standard kit on starlink.com costs $349; where Starlink offers a rental, you pay a one-time activation fee instead of buying. Buy vs rent

Month-to-month with no long-term contract (some offers excepted). Read every line of the order summary before paying. Contract facts

Possibly: in congested areas Starlink bills a one-off demand surcharge at purchase or activation, its size depending on the address and plan. The order page shows it before you pay.

Yes, after the first 90 days: it starts at up to $400 and falls $15 a month on 24-month plans. Calculator

Only plans with a minimum term carry one: $15 for each month left. Cancel Viasat

We found no public switcher discount from Starlink. A first-time customer who orders through a referral link has the referral credit applied by Starlink to the second monthly bill, and some addresses show an area offer on the order page.

On starlink.com: enter your address, choose a plan, buy or rent the kit, check the summary and pay. Every screen, step by step

Either works, but they differ: Starlink sells on starlink.com and through the retailers on its US list (Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Leading Edge Retailer); hardware from sellers that aren’t on its list can’t be activated. Referral rewards only count when you order both kit and service straight from starlink.com, not from a store, an unauthorized reseller or a private seller.

Not for long: your first service charge lands on the earliest of three dates: activation day, the 7th day after delivery, or the 30th day after shipping when no delivery date is recorded (Starlink calls this the 'Payment Due Date').

There’s a return window, not a free trial: a kit bought on starlink.com and sent back undamaged inside 30 days of your Payment Due Date earns a full refund, first month's fee included. Plan your dates

Yes: you can use your own router or mesh system; on a Standard kit you run Ethernet to your router's WAN port and turn on bypass mode if your router should run the Wi-Fi (older Standard Actuated kits need Starlink's Ethernet Adapter). Setup guide

Sometimes, with the right adapter, if the spot sees enough open sky. Run the Starlink app’s sky scan at that spot first. Old dish spot

Not over IPv4 on a home plan. Residential gets IPv4 through CGNAT, so no public IPv4 address and no inbound IPv4 connections (a public IPv4 is offered only on Local and Global Priority plans), while native IPv6 works on every plan.

No. Keep it until Starlink is set up and has worked well on several evenings, then move your phone number and cancel. Switch planner

Yes, but on another service: no Starlink Residential plan includes home phone or voice service; Starlink sells internet service. Move the number to VoIP or a mobile carrier first, then cancel. The safe order

45 days after cancelling for the leased modem and radio, or HughesNet charges $300. The dish, mount and cables can stay. What goes back

AT&T's pages don't say whether ordering or activating Internet Air automatically ends a DSL line; ask AT&T in writing before ordering and keep the DSL modem until Internet Air works. Internet Air vs Starlink

Each has its own deadline and fee. Deadlines by provider

Call with your cancel date, the rep’s name and confirmation number, and ask for a refund of any charge after that date. If equipment is in dispute, send your photos and tracking number.