I’m going to tell on myself a little here.
Yesterday, while I was in the final stages of writing my review of the Netgear Nighthawk RS700S router (really good, by the way), I noticed for the very first time that JB Hi-Fi was selling Starlink internet kits.
Before this, I had no idea that you could buy Starlink anywhere except through Starlink directly or Telstra (via specialised plans).
I’m kicking myself that I somehow missed this when reading other people’s stuff on Starlink, but hey, maybe I’m not the only guy who missed this. You can order different versions of the equipment from these vendors, while Starlink only offers the most updated model.
So, where else can you buy Starlink in Australia? Well, a handful of spots, and depending on the vendor, it might be a better option to buy from a retail store than from Starlink directly.
Where can you buy Starlink Internet in Australia?
You can currently buy a Starlink satellite internet kit from JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Bunnings Warehouse, and Harvey Norman in Australia, along with Starlink directly via the company’s website. You can also buy Starlink from Telstra, to leverage the telco’s specialised satellite internet plans.
If you order through one of the listed retailers, you get the choice between what equipment version you want (and therefore, get the option of spending less on older tech, versus more on newer tech), and depending on what stock is available in the store, you might be able to stick the delivery period (the Starlink website estimates a 1-2 week delivery time). You might even be able to get same-day delivery with some orders.
- Starlink: $599 (latest generation)
- Telstra: $599 (latest generation)
- JB Hi-Fi: $599 (latest generation), $399 (old gen)
- Bunning’s Warehouse: $597 (latest generation), $398 (old gen)
- Officeworks: $597 (latest generation), $397 (old gen)
- Harvey Norman: $598 (latest generation), $398 (old gen)
- Domain: $598 (latest generation), $398 (old gen)
- Joyce Main: $598 (latest generation)
JB Hi-Fi also offers a $79 ethernet adapter.
The Starlink website lists a $1 “trial”, but you will need to pay the full $599, along with the monthly service cost.
Note that no matter where you buy Starlink from, you’ll need to pay for the $139 per month service cost. The only time where this doesn’t apply is with Telstra, which charges $125 per month for its plan, on top of the hardware cost (the Telstra plan also has slower download speeds).
Should I buy the latest generation Starlink or the old model?
The latest generation dish, the V4, comes with an IP67 resistance rating, versus the V3’s IP54. The newer model has a greater antenna field of view. The V4 comes with the refreshed Gen 3 router, packing Wi-Fi 6, a coverage range of 297 square metres, and Tri Band 4 x 4 MU-MIMO radio. Meanwhile, the old-gen V3 comes with the Gen 2 router, which packs Wi-Fi 5, a coverage range of 185 square metres, and Dual Band -3 x 3 MIMO radio.
While the old-gen is certainly cheaper, the new model will be much more durable outside with its greater environmental IP rating. As for the other specs though, it mostly depends on how you have your internet set up.
If you’re curious about Starlink at all, head over here and let us answer your questions.
Image: iStock/Gizmodo Australia