Starlink, the satellite internet service provider, has started charging a $10 monthly rental fee for its hardware, marking a departure from its one-time purchase model. The new pricing structure sees an upfront hardware cost of $0 and a $10 monthly kit fee, alongside increased Internet service prices.

The move is similar to practices seen in cable and telecom companies, with Starlink now offering tiers priced at $55 for 100Mbps, $85 for 200Mbps, and up to $130 for the 'Max' plan reaching speeds of up to 400Mbps. A one-time installation service is available for a fee of $199 or included with the Max plan.

A Starlink support article indicated that hardware rental is now available in select countries, and only for residential service plans. Customers who rent instead of buy will not be able to pause their service. PCMag reports that this new fee has rolled out globally, appearing on the US, Canada, UK, France, Australia, and Mexico sites.

While some users may view it as a shift towards more traditional tech rental models, others see it as yet another step in the evolving landscape of internet services, where innovation is met with increasingly familiar business practices.