Yes, but no.

Let’s start with the “yes”. The subscription system that Starlink has created lends itself to being turned off and back on again. Many internet providers, especially satellite internet providers, tend to require a contract, usually 2 years, and cancelling those services can be very costly, usually hundreds of dollars. On top of that, those other providers will require that you return the equipment that you were leasing, making it impossible to restart your services.

Starlink has two features that make stopping and restarting the service possible. The first is that there is no contract. Canceling your subscription is easy to do and comes with no fees. And restarting will allow you to just pick up where you left off. The other feature is that with Starlink, you own the equipment. The $499 equipment fee in the beginning is quite hefty, but the satellite dish, modem, wires, and everything else is yours to keep. Cancelling your service won’t require you to return all that equipment.

Then there’s the “no”. Just because the service is set up in such a way that makes this possible, doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do so right now. That’s because Starlink only has limited availability during its beta phase. People are having to sign up in advance and are getting put on a waiting list. If you cancel your service, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to restart as soon as you want to. As Starlink launches more satellites and broadens its service, there’s a possibility it’ll have better restartability. We’ll have to wait and see.

Can I Pause My Starlink Subscription?

Starlink has no subscriptions or long-term contracts. You pay for service month to month. Depending on the type of service you have you may be able to pause. Only those with Roam Mobile or Best Effort service can pause. Residential and Business customers cannot pause service.

To pause Roam Mobile or Best Effort service log into your account, go to Manage account, then Pause service. The billing period is monthly and can’t be prorated so if you pause 3 days into a month you’re still going to pay for the whole month. If you must pause therefore try to pause at the end of a month.

What about canceling? You can cancel Starlink anytime without having to deal with early termination fees or related nonsense. However, think about the following. Is there any chance you will want to return? You’ll be at the back of the line for service in such a case.

What to do with the equipment? If you bought the kit and are within the first 30 days of receipt you can return the kit and any accessories in undamaged and untampered condition to Starlink for a full refund. This applies regardless of the reason, even if it's due to field-of-view issues preventing you from receiving the services. To initiate the return process for the Starlink Kit or any accessories, please follow the instructions provided in the Return Policy within the Starlink Customer Portal.

If you are beyond the first 30 days of activation you can sell it and transfer it to a new owner if that new owner is within a Starlink service area where capacity exists and provided your account is paid in full and in good standing. Have your device ID handy, then log into your Starlink account, click Manage your account, then click Transfer. See the Terms and Conditions and proceed from there.

While many people don’t read Terms of Service because the language typically is onerous, and after all, what can you do but hit “I agree” when you urgently need the service or product? But in this case, take a few minutes to read the Starlink Terms of Service, as they are understandable.