Tool · step by step
Switch planner: your dates, step by step
Put in your delivery date and current provider. Get every date in order, ready to print or add to your calendar.
Answer first · current to
The safe order is: set up Starlink while your old service still works, test it on busy evenings, move your phone number, then cancel and return the old equipment. Starlink’s clock starts early: 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'). Its return window is short too: 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. The planner below lays out those dates for you.
Your dates
- Pick your delivery date above to see every deadline in order.
Dates follow Starlink’s terms: the first charge falls on activation day or the 7th day after delivery, whichever is earlier, and a starlink.com kit in good shape can go back for a refund up to 30 days after that charge. Old-provider deadlines count from the day you cancel. Check each provider’s own terms before you rely on a date.
Why the order matters
- Deliveryold service on
- Set upside by side
- Evening tests3+ evenings
- Port numberif you have one
- Cancel oldafter the port
- Return gearby the deadline
Most switching problems come from three mistakes:
- Cancelling the old service first. Delivery can slip, the best mounting spot can turn out to be blocked, and a cancelled landline can take its phone number with it. Paying for both services for a couple of weeks is cheaper than any of that.
- Testing at the wrong time. A speed test at 2 p.m. tells you little. Networks are busiest in the evening, so test both services around 8 p.m., on several days, with the same device in the same room.
- Missing an equipment deadline. Old providers charge hundreds of dollars for leased gear that comes back late. The deadline counts from the day you cancel, not the day you ship.
How the planner works out each date
- First Starlink charge: the earlier of the day you set it up or 7 days after delivery, as in Starlink’s terms (service switches itself on 7 days after delivery if you haven't activated it by then).
- Starlink return deadline: 30 days after that first charge, for an undamaged kit bought on starlink.com. Rented kits and store-bought kits follow different rules.
- Evening tests: the planner gives you about two weeks, which leaves room inside the 30-day return window if Starlink fails at your home.
- Phone number: the planner allows a week for the port. Many ports finish sooner; your new phone company tells you when it’s done.
- Old equipment: counted from your cancel date, using each provider’s published return window. For DSL, ask your provider; many modems are leased.
What switchers ask
In what order do the last steps go?
Starlink set up and tested on several evenings first, then the phone number move (if you have one), then the cancel call. Never cancel before Starlink arrives.
When does Starlink start charging me?
On the earlier of the day you activate it or 7 days after delivery, even if you haven’t set it up yet. If you’re away when it arrives, plan your setup within that week.
How long does it take to move a home phone number?
It depends on the companies involved. Simple ports can finish within a day or two; others take longer. Start the port with the new phone company and keep the old line active until it’s done. Step by step
What if I miss the equipment return deadline?
Call the old provider right away and ask whether a late return still avoids the fee. Ship it anyway, with tracking, and keep photos of every part. Deadlines and fees
Where these facts come from
We took every figure and rule on this page from the pages below; the oldest reading dates from . Terms move often, so confirm with the provider before you cancel or order.
- 15-Day T-Mobile Internet Test Drive (support)
- 5G Home Internet (Verizon)
- Customer Agreement (Residential), Version 9.22
- Early Termination Fees and Other Important Terms (customers who subscribed on or after July 8, 2025)
- How does the monthly service billing cycle work? (Starlink help center)
- Return your internet equipment (AT&T Support)
- Starlink terms of service (US)
Checking method: each price, fee and rule here links to the provider’s or regulator’s own page, dated the day we read it. No internet provider pays for a place on this site; the only income is the Starlink referral explained on our money page. Our fact-checking · How we make money · Corrections