Starlink added a new status in the app called Restricted. I’ve been getting comments and emails about it, so I figured it would be a good idea to make an article explaining what it means. I will also tell you how to get rid of it, so you can get back online.
When your Starlink status reads Restricted, it means your dish is connected to the Starlink satellites and services, but your internet access has been restricted. You can only connect to Starlink.com through a web browser or the Starlink app to manage your account and subscription.
Starlink has always allowed people to access their website and app through the dish, even if you have no active subscription. They do this so that you can still manage your service and get online if you forgot to unpause, or didn’t pay your bill on time.
It’s nothing new, it just has a different status name. Before, the status would just read Offline. That was confusing to many people, since Offline could be caused by a hardware issue. Starlink decided to add the Restricted status to differentiate between connection issues and subscription issues.
You’ll see a status of Restricted if your Starlink subscription is paused, inactive, or has been cancelled. If you look below the graphic of the dish, you’ll see another message with more details on your specific situation:
- Service paused – Your Mobile/Mobile Priority subscription is currently paused.
- Service inactive – If you have Standard or Priority service, you’ll see this message if you cancelled your subscription.
- No active subscription – Your dish doesn’t have a subscription associated with it.
- Data usage limit reached – If you are on a data capped subscription, your internet will be restricted until you purchase additional data.
To get rid of the Restricted error, you need to fix your subscription by visiting the account portal on Starlink.com. If you don’t currently have an account or subscription, follow this tutorial to activate your dish. If you have a cancelled or paused subscription, you need to reactivate service to get online. And finally, if you have reached your data limit, you can opt-in to additional data to restore normal internet access.
Still can’t get rid of the Restricted message? If you’ve tried my recommendations but still can’t get online, I recommend creating a support ticket. Starlink will be able to look at your account in more detail to figure out what the problem is.
The plan: Headed to surf the Maldives from FL on a boat trip for 10 days with 10 surfers and would like to utilize the starlink network for the surf crew for the 10 days in order to have internet calling and surf the web.
What I thought should work: Purchase the residential starlink kit $299 with the roaming plan $150 and bring to the maldives and install it on the large slow moving catamaran boat in the Maldives and everyone on the boat is stoked that they didnt have to buy internet there.
What I was told by customer service: If you set up that plan here in the us it will not be functional in the Maldives.
I had 2 completely different answers when I spoke to customer service. The first guy said that would work perfectly!. The second guy said that I would have to wait 90 days till I could use it in Maldives if I registered it here first. He recommended that I purchase it here at the store and dont set it up until I get to the Maldives… I would like to give it test drive before I haul it all the way there… I was wondering your opinion on this…
Ive read through some of your other posts and appreciate what you are doing to help people through this. I also read that you have to have a bank account in the country you are setting it up in. Now its beginning to sound like this is not a good option for my trip.
If you purchase a kit from a 3rd party retailer, like Best Buy or Home Depot, you can choose when and where to activate it. I think the credit card thing applies to some countries, not all. But generally you need to pay with a bank account in the country you are trying to activate it for.
The $299 discount only applies to Residential orders, and you can’t change your plan for 6 months from activation, otherwise they bill you for the $200 credit.