What happens if I exceed the traffic limit under the "Fair Use Policy"?

In short, your internet speed will slow down, but you won't lose connection entirely.

You can imagine Starlink's network as a highway.

The data allowance included in your monthly plan, for example, 1TB, is called "Priority Access". This is like having a VIP pass for the highway. When you use this data, your data can zoom along in the fastest lane, making 4K video streaming, gaming, and video conferencing very smooth.

Once you've used up this month's VIP pass and exceeded that data limit, you won't be kicked off the highway. You'll simply need to merge from the VIP express lane into the adjacent regular lane. At this point, your data becomes "Standard Access".

What happens in the regular lane?

• Depending on traffic: If it's peak network hours (e.g., 7 or 8 PM, when everyone is home streaming videos), the regular lane will be very congested. At this time, your internet speed will noticeably slow down; high-definition videos might start buffering, online gaming latency will increase, and downloading large files will take much longer.
• When traffic is light: If it's late at night and the roads are clear (off-peak network hours), even in the regular lane, you might still feel the speed is quite good, not much different from before.

What if I urgently need high speed?

Starlink also offers a solution: you can pay per GB to buy more "Priority Access". This is like temporarily topping up your VIP pass; once recharged, your data can once again zoom along in the express lane until you've used up the newly purchased data.

To summarize:

1. No disconnection: This is the most important point; you will still have internet access, but the experience will degrade.
2. Speed will slow down: This will be particularly noticeable during peak usage times when many people are online.
3. Can be restored by paying: If you urgently need speed or can't tolerate the slower speeds, you can purchase additional Priority Access at any time to boost your speed.

In my experience, for most ordinary household daily use, such as browsing the web, streaming videos, and chatting, the monthly Priority Access is generally sufficient. Unless you have several people in your household constantly streaming 4K Blu-ray movies, or you're a game streamer who frequently downloads massive files of tens or hundreds of gigabytes, it's unlikely you'll exceed the limit. You can always check your data usage in the Starlink App to keep track.