If you’re on Starlink — or have been thinking about getting it — there’s something important you need to know before June.
Starlink has announced price increases across all Australian plans, effective from your next billing cycle on or after 18 June 2026. It’s the first major Australian pricing adjustment since Starlink launched locally, and it affects every plan — residential, Roam and Standby Mode alike.
Here’s exactly what’s changing, what it means for rural and regional customers around Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, and whether Starlink is still worth it at the new prices.
What’s Actually Changing — The New Australian Prices
New customers are already seeing the increased prices on starlink.com/au. If you’re an existing customer, the increase hits your first billing cycle on or after 18 June 2026. Check the Starlink app under Account to see your next billing date.
The increases vary by plan:
- The Roam 100GB plan rises from $80 to $85 per month
- Residential plans go up by around $10 to $11 per month depending on the tier
- Standby Mode, which many grey nomads and rural customers use during stationary months, nearly doubles
Worth noting: some newer Starlink roaming plans in overseas markets appear to have avoided price increases, though Australian availability remains unclear. Check starlink.com/au for the latest plan options in your area.
Starlink explained the change in a customer notification, saying that pricing had remained unchanged for most residential customers for several years and that the adjustment supports ongoing investment in improved service and next-generation satellite deployment.
What This Means for Toowoomba and Darling Downs Customers
For suburban Toowoomba residents with good NBN access, the price increase may prompt a rethink — NBN remains cheaper for in-town households and the gap has widened slightly.
But for the majority of Starlink users we install for across the Darling Downs, the calculation hasn’t really changed. If you’re on a rural property outside Oakey, Dalby, Pittsworth, Millmerran or Clifton — or anywhere in the region without reliable fixed-line NBN — Starlink is still the best option available by a significant margin, even at the new prices.
The alternative for most rural properties in our region is NBN Sky Muster satellite, which delivers typically around 25Mbps on many plans with latency of 150 to 300 milliseconds — compared to Starlink’s typical 100 to 300Mbps and 25 to 60 millisecond latency. For working from home, video calls, streaming and running farm management software, that difference is enormous. A $10 to $25 monthly increase doesn’t change that fundamental advantage.
Should You Still Get Starlink If You Haven’t Got It Yet?
Yes — and the timing may actually work in your favour.
New customers are receiving a promotional discount of $20 per month off for the first four months in eligible areas. Hardware is now available as a free rental with only a $19 shipping fee, which dramatically lowers the barrier to getting started. Starlink currently offers a return period for eligible new customers if the service doesn’t meet expectations at your address.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about Starlink for your property, getting set up before your area reaches its satellite capacity makes sense — Network congestion can affect speeds and reliability as more users join a local service area.
What Existing Customers Should Do Before 18 June
- Check your current plan and billing date. Open the Starlink app, go to Account, and find your next billing date. If your cycle falls on or after 18 June, the new price applies immediately.
- Review your data usage. If you’re on Roam 100GB and consistently using less than 80GB per month, the Roam 300GB plan at $80 per month — which isn’t increasing — may actually cost you less while giving you more headroom.
- Consider Standby Mode if you’re a seasonal user. If you’re a grey nomad or a property owner who only uses Starlink heavily during certain months, the switching strategy between Roam and Standby still saves significant money even at the new prices.
- Don’t panic, but don’t delay. Plan changes take effect on your next billing cycle — make any changes before your cycle date, not after.
Professional Installation — Why It Still Makes Sense
One thing the price increase doesn’t change is the value of getting your Starlink properly installed.
In many cases, a professionally mounted dish with clear sky visibility will provide more consistent performance and reliability than a temporary ground-level setup. Obstructions, sub-optimal positioning and exposed cabling all reduce performance, which makes the monthly plan feel expensive for the speeds you’re getting.
At SMART Data & TV, we install Starlink dishes across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs including Highfields, Oakey, Dalby, Pittsworth, Millmerran, Clifton, Warwick, Crows Nest, Gatton and all surrounding rural properties. We handle roof mounts, shed mounts, pole mounts and off-grid 12V setups for properties without mains power at the installation point.
A properly installed Starlink system is a long-term investment in your property’s connectivity. Getting it done right once is worth far more than saving a few dollars on self-installation and living with compromised performance for years.
The Bottom Line
The Starlink price increase is real and it affects every Australian plan from 18 June 2026. For urban customers with solid NBN alternatives, it’s worth reconsidering your options. For rural and regional customers across the Toowoomba region and Darling Downs — where Starlink is often the only high-speed internet option available — it remains the right choice despite the increase.
If you’re not on Starlink yet and have been thinking about it, now is actually a good time to get set up — promotional discounts are still available in many areas and the hardware rental model means you can get started for just $19.
📞 Call us on 0459 943 223 to discuss Starlink installation at your Toowoomba or Darling Downs property, or book online 24/7 at smartdatatv.com.au.
Locally owned and operated — not a franchise, not a call centre. You speak directly to the team who will install your system.
